peevishness

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

peevishness
    n 1: an irritable petulant feeling [syn: {irritability},
         {crossness}, {fretfulness}, {fussiness}, {peevishness},
         {petulance}, {choler}]
    2: a disposition to exhibit uncontrolled anger; "his temper was
       well known to all his employees" [syn: {temper},
       {biliousness}, {irritability}, {peevishness}, {pettishness},
       {snappishness}, {surliness}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Peevishness \Pee"vish*ness\, n.
   The quality of being peevish; disposition to murmur; sourness
   of temper.
   [1913 Webster]

   Syn: See {Petulance}.
        [1913 Webster] Peevit