This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Ohnoitsjamie (talk | contribs) at 18:00, 14 March 2006 (revert unencyclopedic list (see talk page)). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 18:00, 14 March 2006 by Ohnoitsjamie (talk | contribs) (revert unencyclopedic list (see talk page))(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)- For the Xanth book by Piers Anthony, see Pet Peeve.
A pet peeve is a minor annoyance that can instill extreme frustration in an individual. Typically each person has several pet peeves that aggravate them more than the average person. Another person may not react as negatively or at all to the same circumstance.
The term originated from the word "peeve". A "peeve," meaning something that is particularly irritating or annoying, is a relatively recent word. Its first printed usage was in 1911. The term is a back formation from a 14th-century word: "peevish," meaning ornery or ill-tempered.
The modified term "pet peeve," a uniquely personal irritant, first appeared in print in 1919.
Pet peeves are typically of common occurrences and a person may encounter their pet peeve up to several times a day. An example of this would be someone not using their turn signals while driving. Many people do not use their turn signals, and it does not bother some drivers that people do not. People that have a pet peeve of someone not using their turn signals would become very agitated and upset when they witness the practice. Many pet peeves associated with driving can result in road rage, where the person who has been peeved seeks some sort of retribution for the action.
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 get very upset. That same supervisor may witness employees coming into work late, and not react as they did with the copier.
Category: