Yahoo Web Search

Search results

1. Dictionary

   quib·ble

   /ˈkwib(ə)l/

   noun

   • 1. a slight objection or criticism about a trivial matter: "the only quibble about this book is the price" Similar minor criticismtrivial objectiontrivial complaintadverse commentprotestqueryargumentexceptionmoangrumblegrousecaviltwineinformal:nigglegripebeefgrouchnitpickingarchaic:pettifoggingevasiondodgeavoidanceequivocationprevaricationhedgingfudging
   • 2. a play on words; a pun. archaic

   verb

   • 1. argue or raise objections about a trivial matter: "they are always quibbling about the amount they are prepared to pay" Similar find fault withraise trivial objections tocomplain aboutobject tocavil atcarp aboutsplit hairschop logiccriticizequeryfaultpickholes ininformal:nitpickarchaic:pettifogbe evasiveequivocateavoid the issueprevaricatehedgefudgebe ambiguousinformal:beat around the bush

   Word Origin early 17th century (in the sense ‘play on words, pun’): diminutive of obsolete quib ‘a petty objection’, probably from Latin quibus, dative and ablative plural of qui, quae, quod ‘who, what, which’, frequently used in legal documents and so associated with subtle distinctions or verbal niceties.

   Derivatives

   • 1. quibbler noun

   Scrabble Points: 20

   • Q

     10

   • U

     1

   • I

     1

   • B

     3

   • B

     3

   • L

     1

   • E

     1

   Powered by Oxford Dictionaries

   More definitions, origin and scrabble points