Emily Dickinson Lexicon

PEEV'ISH, a. [In Scot. pew is to complain or mutter. It is probably a contracted word, and perhaps from the root of pet, petulant.]

1. Fretful; petulant; apt to mutter and complain; easily vexed or fretted; querulous; hard to please. She is peevish, sullen, froward. – Shak.
2. Expressing discontent and fretfulness. I will not presume / To send such peevish tokens to a king. – Shak.
3. Silly; childish. – Shak.