ˈmed. ə lsəm, -et ə l- adjective
: full of mettle : spirited , high-spirited
a mettlesome dramatic performer — Lee Rogow
one of the watch, a mettlesome fellow who fought like a wildcat — T.B.Costain
a mettlesome horse
a mettlesome blend of nervous fancy and impromptu characterization — James Kelly
mettlesome intellectual climate — John Cheever