Dictionary

quibble en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio
• /ˈkwɪbəl/

Etymology

Origin uncertain. Possibly from quib (“quibble”, noun) + -le (diminutive ending). Quib is probably from Latin quibus (“in what respect? how?”), which appeared frequently in legal documents and came to be suggestive of the verbosity and petty argumentation found therein; or perhaps an alteration of quip. Alternatively, perhaps related to dialectal Dutch kwebbelen (“to speak quickly and continuously, chatter”). Compare also Scots wheebele (“a quibble”).

Meanings

1. An argument or objection based on an ambiguity of wording or similar trivial circumstance; a minor complaint.
   • He harped on his quibble about how the dark red paint should be described as carmine rather than burgundy.
   • Essentially, we want a commitment to no-quibble refunds, without admin fees, if people who have already paid decide not to travel because of the virus. 2020 March 25, “Network News: Passengers offered refunds or switched fares”, in Rail, page 7:
   • Toward the end of “Galatea,” there are a few missteps: […] All in all, though, these are minor quibbles. 1995 June 27, Michiko Kakutani, “Playing Pygmalion to a Hermeneutic Computer”, in New York Times:
   • As the two railways were to meet end-on, providing a continuous line from Parkside to Lancaster, it would have been expected that they would work together harmoniously for their common interests, but the quibble over the connection strained the relationship from the beginning. 1960 February 14, M. D. Greville and G. O. Holt, “Railway Development in Preston—1”, in Railway Magazine, page 96:
   • Quibbles […]have no place in the search after truth. 1741, I[saac] Watts, The Improvement of the Mind: Or, A Supplement to the Art of Logick: […], London: […] James Brackstone, […], →OCLC:
2. (archaic) A pun.
   • Is it a quibble, or play upon words? 1864, Robert Kemp Philp, editor, The Family Friend, page 54:
   • This is a quibble between council and counsel. The latter word is still used to imply secrecy; as in the phrase, "keep your own counsel." 1870, Richard Grant White, The complete works of Shakspere, with a memoir, and essay:

Forms

Synonyms

falling out · palaver · barney · quibble · controversy · disagreement · brawl · disharmony · discordance · altercation · squabble · blue · argy-bargy · bawl out · fight · dissonance · clash · tiff · argument · dustup · wrangle · row · dispute · contention · spat · flite · feud · quarrel · issue · tangle · face-off · disputation · debate · bobbery · difference · hassle · ding-dong · conflict · threap · disunion

Translations (27)

fi kränä (a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument) · fr argutie (a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument) · fi kitinä (a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument) · bg заяждане (a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument) · cs malicherná stížnost (a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument) · de Haarspalterei (a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument) · ka უმნიშვნელო შენიშვნა (a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument) · ka შენიშვნა (a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument) · it cavillo (a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument) · hu szőrszálhasogatás (a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument) · fi narina (a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument) · cs banální námitka (a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument) · nl haarkloverij (a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument) · cs hašteření (a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument) · de Spitzfindigkeit (a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument) · cs slovíčkaření (a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument) · scn fìsima (a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument) · es argucia (a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument) · de kleinliche Kritik (a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument) · fi suukopu (a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument) · scn minuzzia (a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument) · sh cepidlačenje (a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument) · fi mutina (a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument) · pt minúcia (a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument) · es sutileza (a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument) · ru приди́рка (a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument) · fi marina (a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument)

quibble en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio
• /ˈkwɪbəl/

Etymology

Origin uncertain. Possibly from quib (“quibble”, noun) + -le (diminutive ending). Quib is probably from Latin quibus (“in what respect? how?”), which appeared frequently in legal documents and came to be suggestive of the verbosity and petty argumentation found therein; or perhaps an alteration of quip. Alternatively, perhaps related to dialectal Dutch kwebbelen (“to speak quickly and continuously, chatter”). Compare also Scots wheebele (“a quibble”).

Meanings

1. (informal, intransitive) To complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner.
   • “I dog no one, Mr. Temple,” I replied bitterly. “We'll not quibble about words,” said he. 1904 May, Winston Churchill, chapter VI, in The Crossing, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, book II (Flotsam and Jetsam), page 314:
   • “Oh, if you talk in that sense!” said Mr. Standish, with as much disgust at such non-legal quibbling as a man can well betray towards a valuable client. 1871, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], chapter X, in Middlemarch […], volume I, Edinburgh; London: William Blackwood and Sons, →OCLC, book (please specify |book=I to VIII):
   • They are constantly quibbling over insignificant details.
   • Mr. Musk has shown a disdain toward Twitter’s previous corporate culture. He has quibbled with the number of bird references in the company’s internal team names and products. 2023 July 24, Ryan Mac, Tiffany Hsu, “From Twitter to X: Elon Musk Begins Erasing an Iconic Internet Brand”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
2. (informal, rare, transitive) To contest, especially some trivial issue in a petty manner.
   • The customer quibbled the bill.

Forms

Deriveds

quibbler · unquibbling · quibblingly · outquibble · quibbly · unquibbled · quibblesome

Synonyms

squabble

Translations (29)

bg заяждам се (to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner) · ru придира́ться (to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner) · es buscar evasivas (to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner) · bg заяда се (to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner) · fr ergoter (to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner) · es sutilizar (to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner) · fr chinoiser (to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner) · it cavillare (to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner) · de kleinlich sein (to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner) · fr chipoter (to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner) · fi marista (to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner) · ka წვრილმანზე კამათი (to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner) · pt discutir (to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner) · fi kitistä (to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner) · fr pinailler (to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner) · la cavillari (to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner) · de herumstreiten (to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner) · nl muggenziften (to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner) · nl kibbelen (to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner) · cs hašteřit se (to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner) · sh cepidlačiti (to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner) · ka დაწვრილმანება (to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner) · pt preocupar-se (to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner) · es andar con sutilezas (to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner) · pt preocupar-se com minúcias (to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner) · fr chicaner (to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner) · fi narista (to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner) · eo ĉikani (to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner) · cs handrkovat se (to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner)