a. Forms: 4 strifful, 5 stryffule, -fulle, 6 strifull, strivefull, stryf(f)ul(l, 6–8 strifefull, 8– strifeful. [f. STRIFE sb. + -FUL.] Full of strife; contentious.
1382. Wyclif, Ecclus. viii. 14. Stonde thou not aȝen the face of the strifful.
14[?]. in Walter of Henley’s Husb., etc. (1890), 148. That in no wyse be in the householde, men debatefulle or stryffulle.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., III. ii. 12. Her list in strifull termes with him to balke. Ibid. (1591), M. Hubberd, 1021. Th’ Ape was stryfull, and ambicious.
1621. G. Sandys, Ovid’s Met., I. 102. Nor Swords, nor Arms were yet:… nor strifefull Trumpets sound.
1726. Pope, Odyss., XXI. 410. Eumæus, thus incourag’d, hastes to bring The strife-full bow.
a. 1835. Wordsw., Misc. Sonn., II. ‘Four fiery Steeds.’ Soldiers … sick at heart of strifeful Christendom.
1850. Tait’s Mag., XVII. 762/2. We are no apologists for the violence committed … in those strifeful days.
1890. W. Morris, in Eng. Illustr. Mag., July, 762. They are a strifeful race.
