- waspish
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adjective
Date: 1566
1. resembling a wasp in behavior; especially snappish, petulant <a waspish temper> 2. resembling a wasp in form; especially slightly built • waspishly adverb • waspishness noun
New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.
waspish
Look at other dictionaries:
Waspish — Wasp ish, a. 1. Resembling a wasp in form; having a slender waist, like a wasp. [1913 Webster] 2. Quick to resent a trifling affront; characterized by snappishness; irritable; irascible; petulant; snappish. [1913 Webster] He was naturally a… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
waspish — index fractious, perverse, petulant, querulous, resentful Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
waspish — irrascible, quick to take offense; spiteful, 1560s, from WASP (Cf. wasp) + ISH (Cf. ish). Related: Waspishly; waspishness … Etymology dictionary
waspish — snappish, *irritable, fractious, peevish, petulant, pettish, huffy, fretful, querulous Analogous words: testy, touchy, cranky, cross, *irascible: *impatient: *contrary, perverse: spiteful, *malicious … New Dictionary of Synonyms
waspish — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ sharply irritable. DERIVATIVES waspishly adverb waspishness noun … English terms dictionary
waspish — [wäs′pish, wôs′pish] adj. 1. of or like a wasp 2. having a slender waist, like a wasp 3. bad tempered; snappish waspishly adv. waspishness n … English World dictionary
waspish — [[t]wɒ̱spɪʃ[/t]] ADJ GRADED A waspish remark or sense of humour is sharp and critical. ...a lawyer with an inventive mind and a waspish sense of humour … English dictionary
waspish — mod. in the manner of a WASP. □ She looks sort of waspish, but she’s not. □ Sally is a waspish kind of yuppie … Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions
waspish — waspishly, adv. waspishness, n. /wos pish/, adj. 1. like or suggesting a wasp, esp. in behavior. 2. quick to resent a trifling affront or injury; snappish. 3. irascibly or petulantly spiteful: waspish writing. 4. having a slight or slender build … Universalium
Waspish — Waspishly, WASPishly, adv. Waspishness, WASPishness, n. /wos pish/, adj. Waspy. Also, WASPish. [1965 70; WASP + ISH1] * * * … Universalium
