peeve

[ peev ]
See synonyms for: peevepeeved on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),peeved, peev·ing.
  1. to render peevish; annoy.

noun
  1. a source of annoyance or irritation: Tardiness is one of my greatest peeves.

  2. an annoyed or irritated mood: to be in a peeve.

Origin of peeve

1
1905–10, Americanism; back formation from peevish

Other words for peeve

Words Nearby peeve

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use peeve in a sentence

  • Of course I know you don't mean it—you're simply hot and tired, and trying to work off your peeve on me.

    Main Street | Sinclair Lewis
  • But for Charley and his overloaded peeve, they would have been in Crystal City inside the hour.

    Master of the Moondog | Stanley Mullen
  • Paste this, Fuscus, in your hat:Not a pesky thing can peeve me.

    A line-o'-verse or two | Bert Leston Taylor
  • "Was is right," Crawford growled, now on one of his favorite peeve subjects.

    Border, Breed Nor Birth | Dallas McCord Reynolds

British Dictionary definitions for peeve

peeve

/ (piːv) informal /


verb
  1. (tr) to irritate; vex; annoy

noun
  1. something that irritates; vexation: it was a pet peeve of his

Origin of peeve

1
C20: back formation from peevish

Derived forms of peeve

  • peeved, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012