different between restive vs restiff

English

Etymology

Modification of earlier restiff, from Middle English restyf, from Old French restif, from rester (“stay, remain”), from Latin rest?.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /???st?v/
• Hyphenation: res?tive

Adjective

restive (comparative more restive, superlative most restive)

1. Impatient under delay, duress, or control.
   • 1914, Bram Stoker, "Dracula's Guest" in Dracula's Guest and Other Weird Stories:

     The horses were now more restive than ever, and Johann was trying to hold them in.
2. Resistant to control; stubborn.
3. Refusing to move, especially in a forward direction.

Synonyms

• (impatient under duress): anxious, champing at the bit, fidgety, restless, uneasy
• (resistant of control): disobedient, rebellious, recalcitrant, refractory, uncooperative, unruly
• (refusing to move): balky

Derived terms

• restively
• restiveness

Translations

Anagrams

• Ivester, Servite, Sievert, sievert, tervies, veriest

English

Adjective

restiff

1. (archaic) Alternative form of restive

Synonyms

• reluctant

Noun

restiff (plural restiffs)

1. (obsolete) A restive or stubborn horse.

Anagrams

• Streiff, stiffer