WASPISH • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Waspish

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adjective

Waspish adj.

Resembling a wasp in form; having a slender waist, like a wasp.

Quick to resent a trifling affront; characterized by snappishness; irritable; irascible; petulant; snappish. "He was naturally a waspish and hot man." "Much do I suffer, much, to keep in peace This jealous, waspish, wrong-head, rhyming race."

Synonyms: Snappish; petulant; irritable; irascible; testy; peevish; captious.

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Etymology of 'Waspish'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Waspish" Quotes from Famous Books

... about the room as if he had no care in the world. He hummed snatches of song. Mr. Jones raised his waspish eyebrows, at the sound. The secretary got down on his knees before an old leather trunk, and, rummaging in there, brought out a small looking-glass. He fell to examining his physiognomy in it ...

— Victory • Joseph Conrad

... looked on all his associates as wretches of depraved taste and narrow notions. Their conversation was, therefore, fretful and waspish, their behaviour brutal, their merriment bluntly sarcastick, and their seriousness gloomy and suspicious. They were totally ignorant of all that passes, or has lately passed, in the world; unable to discuss any question ...

— The Works of Samuel Johnson - Volume IV [The Rambler and The Adventurer] • Samuel Johnson

... a second wife Until a fairer I could find than she. And still she is so lovely in my eyes, Her equal cannot anywhere be found. You'd take her for a flow'r. Yet when arise Her storms of anger, long it takes to calm Her mind, so waspish is her character. The thought of this doth sadden me. Should one Not satisfy her heart's desire, she flies Into a passion and attempts to kill Herself. But 'tis my destiny—'tis writ. The Queen is like a gem with glint as bright As lightning's ...

— Malayan Literature • Various Authors

... man," says Miss Cann, who had a fine spirit of her own. "That boy half-witted! He has got more wit in his little finger than you have in all your great person! You are a very good man, Ridley, very good-natured I'm sure, and bear with the teasing of a waspish old woman: but you are not the wisest of mankind. Tut, tut, don't tell me. You know you spell out the words when you read the newspaper still, and what would your bills look like if I did not write them ...

— The Newcomes • William Makepeace Thackeray

... your bondmen tremble. Must I budge? Must I observe you? Must I stand and crouch Under your testy humour? By the gods! You shall digest the venom of your spleen, Though it do split you; for from this day forth I'll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter, When you are waspish. ...

— The Canadian Elocutionist • Anna Kelsey Howard

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