\Rest"ive\ (r?st"?v), a. [OF. restif, F. r['e]tif, 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.              --E. Philips
                                               (1658).
      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.           --Macaulay.
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.