Rest"ive (r?st"?v), a. [OF. restif, F. rétif, fr. L. restare to stay back, withstand, resist. See Rest remainder, and cf. Restiff.] . Unwilling to go on; obstinate in refusing to move forward; stubborn; drawing back.

Restive or resty, drawing back, instead of going forward, as some horses do.

The people remarked with awe and wonder that the beasts which were to drag him [Abraham Holmes] to the gallows became restive, and went back.

2. Inactive; sluggish. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

3. Impatient under coercion, chastisement, or opposition; refractory.

4. Uneasy; restless; averse to standing still; fidgeting about; -- applied especially to horses. Trench.

-- Rest"ive, adv. -- Rest"ive*ness, n.

Rest"ive (r?st"?v), a. [OF. restif, F. rétif, fr. L. restare to stay back, withstand, resist. See Rest remainder, and cf. Restiff.] . Unwilling to go on; obstinate in refusing to move forward; stubborn; drawing back.

Restive or resty, drawing back, instead of going forward, as some horses do.

The people remarked with awe and wonder that the beasts which were to drag him [Abraham Holmes] to the gallows became restive, and went back.

2. Inactive; sluggish. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

3. Impatient under coercion, chastisement, or opposition; refractory.

4. Uneasy; restless; averse to standing still; fidgeting about; -- applied especially to horses. Trench.

-- Rest"ive, adv. -- Rest"ive*ness, n.

• impatient under duress or control
  
• resistant of control; stubborn
  
• refusing to move
  
• acting in a restive manner
  
• the state of being restive