bicker

[ bik-er ]

/ ˈbɪk ər /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR bicker ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used without object)

to engage in petulant or peevish argument; wrangle: The two were always bickering.

to run rapidly; move quickly; rush; hurry: a stream bickering down the valley.

to flicker; glitter: The sun bickered through the trees.

noun

an angry, petty dispute or quarrel; contention.

Nearby words

bichromate process, bichrome, bicipital, bicipital rib, bick-iron, bicker, bickering, bickerstaff, isaac, bickie, biclonality, bicoastal

Origin of bicker

1250–1300; Middle English bikeren < ?

SYNONYMS FOR bicker

1 disagree, squabble, argue, quarrel, haggle, dispute, spar, spat.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR bicker ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formsbick·er·er, nounun·bick·ered, adjectiveun·bick·er·ing, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for bickering

Joy Woodhouse calls in to tell her bickering boys Brad and Dallas to “get this out of your system” before Christmas.
Mom Scolds Pundit Sons on C-SPAN|Alex Chancey, The Daily Beast Video|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Such admiration for the American system sounds strange in this era of gridlock and bickering.
Communism's Victims Deserve a Museum|James Kirchick|August 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The landings culminated years of debate, planning, construction, bickering, invention, training, deception of the enemy and more.
D-Day Historian Craig Symonds Talks About History’s Most Amazing Invasion|Marc Wortman|June 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Leaders are constantly issuing contradictory orders and security commanders are bickering.
Inside East Ukraine’s Make-Believe Republics|Jamie Dettmer|May 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST

There are many loose ends surrounding the crime and the bickering, even though somewhat abated, will undoubtedly flare again.
Brunello’s King Lear: Gianfranco Soldera Reflects on the Attack on His Wine|Alice Feiring|December 8, 2013|DAILY BEAST
They are bred in a constant atmosphere of contention, bickering, and in short, warfare.
Facts And Fictions Of Life|Helen H. Gardener
Jervaise snorted impatiently, but he had enough control of himself to avoid the snare of being drawn into a bickering match.
The Jervaise Comedy|J. D. Beresford
There was haggling and bickering until a price of sixty was agreed upon, and Mr. McCann's heart expanded with satisfaction.
Scattergood Baines|Clarence Budington Kelland
All Prescott would be tickled to hear of the bickering, and every person in Phœnix who loves clean sport would be disgusted.
Motor Matt; or, The King of the Wheel|Stanley R. Matthews
Let us have done with this bickering; find the colonel and ask his leave to go with me, if you like.
The Master of Appleby|Francis Lynde

British Dictionary definitions for bickering

bicker

/ (ˈbɪkə) /

verb (intr)

to argue over petty matters; squabble

poetic

(esp of a stream) to run quickly
to flicker; glitter

noun

a petty squabble

Derived Formsbickerer, nounbickering, noun, adjective

Word Origin for bicker

C13: of unknown origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for bickering (1 of 4)

bickering

c.1300, "a skirmish," from bicker (v.). Meaning "a verbal wrangle" is from 1570s.

Word Origin and History for bickering (1 of 4)

bickering

adj.

1808 in the sense of "contentious," present participle adjective from bicker (v.). Earlier it was used to mean "flashing, quivering" (1660s).

Word Origin and History for bickering (2 of 4)

bicker

early 14c., bikere, "to skirmish, fight," perhaps from Middle Dutch bicken "to slash, stab, attack," + -er, Middle English frequentative suffix. Meaning "to quarrel" is from mid-15c. Related: Bickered; bickering.

Word Origin and History for bickering (3 of 4)

bicker

c.1300, skirmish, battle; from the same source as bicker (v.). In modern use, often to describe the sound of a flight of an arrow or other repeated, loud, rapid sounds, in which sense it is perhaps at least partly echoic.

bicker

.css-1gxch3{color:#1a1a1a;font-size:18px;font-weight:normal;font-style:italic;}verb (used without object)

noun

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of bicker

Examples from the Web for bickering

British Dictionary definitions for.css-ylq2vz{color:#1a1a1a;} bickering

bicker

noun

Word Origin for bicker

Word Origin and History for bickering (1 of 4)

bickering

Word Origin and History for bickering (1 of 4)

bickering

Word Origin and History for bickering (2 of 4)

bicker

Word Origin and History for bickering (3 of 4)

bicker

verb (used without object)

British Dictionary definitions for bickering