We provoke, rail, scoff, calumniate, challenge, hate, abuse (hard-hearted, implacable, malicious, peevish, inexorable as we are), to satisfy our lust or private spleen.—Burton, Anatomy of Melancholy, part iii. § 1.
Pertinax hominum genus, a peevish generation of men.—Id., ib., part iii. § 4.
That grand document of keeping to the light within us they [the Quakers] borrow out of St. John’s Gospel; and yet they are so frantic and peevish, that they would fling away the staff without which they are not able to make one step in religion.—H. More, Grand Mystery of Godliness, b. viii. c. 12.
In case the Romans, upon an inbred peevishness and engraffed pertinacity of theirs, should not hear reason, but refuse an indifferent end, then both God and man shall be witness as well of the moderation of Perseus, as of their pride and insolent frowardness.—Holland, Livy, p. 1152.
We must carefully distinguish continuance in opinion from obstinacy, confidence of understanding from peevishness of affection, a not being convinced from a resolution never to be convinced.—Bishop Taylor, Liberty of Prophesying, § ii. 10.
Pencil. The distinction between ‘pencil’ and paint-brush is quite modern. The older use of ‘pencil’ (‘penecillus,’ or little tail) was etymologically more correct than the modern; the brush being so called because it hung and drooped as does that.
Heaven knows, they were besmeared and overstained
With slaughter’s pencil, where revenge did paint
The fearful difference of incensed kings.
Shakespeare, King John, act iii. sc. 1.