From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Restive \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.
[1913 Webster]
Restive or resty, drawing back, instead of going
forward, as some horses do. --E. Philips
(1658).
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
2. Inactive; sluggish. [Obs.] --Sir T. Browne.
[1913 Webster]
3. Impatient under coercion, chastisement, or opposition;
refractory.
[1913 Webster]
4. Uneasy; restless; averse to standing still; fidgeting
about; -- applied especially to horses. --Trench.
[1913 Webster] -- Rest"ive, adv. -- Rest"ive*ness, n.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Restive \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.
[1913 Webster]
Restive or resty, drawing back, instead of going
forward, as some horses do. --E. Philips
(1658).
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
2. Inactive; sluggish. [Obs.] --Sir T. Browne.
[1913 Webster]
3. Impatient under coercion, chastisement, or opposition;
refractory.
[1913 Webster]
4. Uneasy; restless; averse to standing still; fidgeting
about; -- applied especially to horses. --Trench.
[1913 Webster] -- Rest"ive, adv. -- Rest"ive*ness, n.
[1913 Webster]