Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email
Answers.com

pet peeve

 
Dictionary: pet peeve

n. Informal
Something about which one frequently complains; a particular personal vexation.


Search unanswered questions...
Enter a question here...
Search: All sources Community Q&A Reference topics
Idioms: pet peeve
Top

A particular or recurring source of irritation, as in My pet peeve is that neighbor's cat running through my herb garden. [Early 1900s]


WordNet: pet peeve
Top
Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: an opportunity for complaint that is seldom missed


Wikipedia: Pet peeve
Top

A pet peeve (or pet hate) is a minor annoyance that an individual identifies as particularly annoying to them, to a greater degree than others may find it.

Contents

Origin

The term originated from the word 'peave'. Its first usage was in 1919.[1][2] The term is a back-formation from the 14th-century word 'peevish,' meaning ornery or ill-tempered.[1]

Description

Pet peeves often involve specific behaviors of someone close, such as a spouse or significant other.[3] These behaviors may involve disrespect, manners, personal hygiene, relationships, and family issues.[4] Road rage itself is considered a pet peeve by many. Other driving-related pet peeves include drivers who speed up to keep others from changing lanes (Gap Snatchers), or distracted drivers talking on cell phones (Motor Mouths). Often a pet peeve will seem illogical to others. For example, a supervisor may have a pet peeve about people leaving the lid on the copier up and react angrily, be annoyed when others interrupt when speaking, or by messy desks of their subordinates.[5] That same supervisor may witness employees coming into work late, and not feel any annoyance whatsoever.

References

  1. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. "peevish". Online Etymology Dictionary. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=peevish. Retrieved 2007-09-28. 
  2. ^ pet peeve - Definition from the Miarriam-Webster Online Dictionary
  3. ^ Kowalski, Robin M. (2003). Complaining, Teasing, and Other Annoying Behaviors. Yale University Press. 
  4. ^ James, Leon. "Congressional Testimony on Road Rage". http://www.drdriving.org/articles/testimony.htm. 
  5. ^ Green, Thad B., Jay T Knippen (1999). Breaking the Barrier to Upward Communication. Quorum/Greenwood. pp. 34–37. 

External links


 
 
Learn More
pet (Idiom)
I Believe in the Loch Ness Monster (1997 Album by Eggplant)
Colonel Effingham's Raid (1945 Comedy Film)

Where do pet peeves come from? Read answer...
What does pet peeves mean? Read answer...
What is nick jonas pet peeve? Read answer...

Help us answer these
What is nicks pet peeve?
What are your worst Pet peeves?
Where does the saying Pet Peeve come from?

Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:

 

Copyrights:

Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Idioms. The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
WordNet. WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Pet peeve" Read more