Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
adjective
- coming, appearing, acting, etc., in fits or by spells; recurring irregularly.
adjective
- characterized by or occurring in irregular spellsfitful sleep
used once by Shakespeare (“Macbeth,” 1605) in sense of “characterized by fits,” then revived by Scott (1810) with a sense of “shifting, changing.” From fit (n.2) + -ful. Related: Fitfully; fitfulness.