Definition of "wolvish"

When she shall hear this of thee, with her nailsShe'll flay thy wolvish visage.

c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act I, scene iv]

Good shepherd / Tubby has protected players, beat off wolvish critics for years. How his flock has grown.

2003 March 20, The Paducah Sun, volume 107, number 79, Paducah, Ky., page 1A

His wolvish teeth now displayed in a gladsome smile, he takes hold of Ali’s arm, that still bears the useless pistol; […]

2005, John Crowley, Lord Byron’s Novel: The Evening Land, William Morrow, page 23

The sequel to the surprise hit film about vampires and werewolves brings back both unlikely action hero Kate Beckinsale, a vampire, and her wolvish paramour (Scott Speedman).

2006 February 9, Daily Herald, volume 83, number 193, page 11, column 4

“I felt sorry for Tom, in particular,” confessed Robinson, having seen the Leicester teenager thrown whole into the wolvish lair of the magnificently threatening Tuqiri.

2006 June 19, Chris Hewett, “Unnatural selection leaves England way behind Wallabies”, in The Independent, number 6,138, page 52, column 3

“You,” Morlock said to the werewolf on the next bench. “What are you, really?” The wolvish face looked on him, its reflective eyes as bright as little moons.

2015, James Enge (pseudonym; James M. Pfundstein), The Wide World’s End (A Tournament of Shadows; book three), Amherst, N.Y.: Pyr, page 286

This cover illustration for Washington Irving’s tale blends reality – the torn-coated rural New Yorker and his wolvish dog – with fantasy embodied by old Rip, a red-nosed rake with an absurdly plumed hat, sly expression and long white beard.

2017 April 16, Lawrence Toppman, “9 reasons you must meet the Wyeths at the Mint”, in The Charlotte Observer, volume 148, number 106, page 4C