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Quibble
Definitions
- 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."
- 2 an evasion of the point of an argument by raising irrelevant distinctions or objections wordnet
- 3 A pun. archaic
"Is it a quibble, or play upon words?"
- 1 To complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner. informal, intransitive
"They are constantly quibbling over insignificant details."
- 2 argue over petty things wordnet
- 3 To contest, especially some trivial issue in a petty manner. informal, rare, transitive
"The customer quibbled the bill."
- 4 evade the truth of a point or question by raising irrelevant objections wordnet
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”).
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”).
See also for "quibble"
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