quarrel1
[kwawr-uh l, kwor-]
- an angry dispute or altercation; a disagreement marked by a temporary or permanent break in friendly relations.
- a cause of dispute, complaint, or hostile feeling: She has no quarrel with her present salary.
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- to disagree angrily; squabble; wrangle.
- to end a friendship as a result of a disagreement.
- to make a complaint; find fault.
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Origin of quarrel1
1300–50; Middle English querele < Old French < Latin querēla, querella a complaint, derivative of querī to complain
Synonyms
See more synonyms for quarrel on Thesaurus.com1. argument, contention, controversy, difference, fight. Quarrel, dissension refer to disagreement and conflict. Quarrel applies chiefly to a verbal disagreement between individuals or groups and is used with reference to a large variety of situations, from a slight and petty difference of opinion to a violent altercation: It was little more than a domestic quarrel. Their quarrel led to the barroom brawl. Dissension usually implies a profound disagreement and bitter conflict. It also applies chiefly to conflict within a group or to members of the same group: dissension within the union; dissension among the Democrats. 3. bicker, argue, brawl, fight.
quarrel2
[kwawr-uh l, kwor-]
- a square-headed bolt or arrow, formerly used with a crossbow.
- Also quarry. a small, square or diamond-shaped pane of glass, as used in latticed windows.
- any of various tools with pyramidal heads.
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Origin of quarrel2
1175–1225; Middle English quarel < Old French < Medieval Latin quadrellus, diminutive of Latin quadrus square
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for quarrel
Contemporary Examples
Their quarrel is with more recently formed verbs like incentivize.
When quiet, he realized that the quarrel was a metaphor for the Arab-Israeli conflict.
I share their concern about government, but this is not a quarrel with our government in Washington.
You can quarrel with that decision in all sorts of ways, but it is the worker, not the company, who gets most of the benefit.
He concluded, the Gaza refugees "have no quarrel with the Jews."
Historical Examples
"You seek to force a quarrel, sir," said the young man, white with anger.
The White CompanyArthur Conan Doyle
"So ends our quarrel, then," said Aylward, sheathing his sword.
The White CompanyArthur Conan Doyle
Very well, then, Sir, you are ill; don't let us quarrel about that.
The Imaginary InvalidMolire
He cherishes no quarrel, therefore, with his destiny, nor with the Author of it.
The Old Apple Dealer (From "Mosses From An Old Manse")Nathaniel Hawthorne
The quarrel is not yours nor mine, nor the grievances naither.
RidgewayScian Dubh
quarrel1
- an angry disagreement; argument
- a cause of disagreement or dispute; grievance
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- to engage in a disagreement or dispute; argue
- to find fault; complain
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Word Origin
C14: from Old French querele, from Latin querēlla complaint, from querī to complain
quarrel2
- an arrow having a four-edged head, fired from a crossbow
- a small square or diamond-shaped pane of glass, usually one of many in a fixed or casement window and framed with lead
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Word Origin
C13: from Old French quarrel pane, from Medieval Latin quadrellus, diminutive of Latin quadrus square
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for quarrel
n.1
"angry dispute," mid-14c., originally "ground for complaint," from Old French querele "matter, concern, business; dispute, controversy" (Modern French querelle), from Latin querella "complaint, accusation; lamentation," from queri "to complain, lament." Replaced Old English sacan. Sense of "contention between persons" is from 1570s.
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n.2
"square-headed bolt for a crossbow," mid-13c., from Old French quarel, carrel "bolt, arrow," from Vulgar Latin *quadrellus, diminutive of Late Latin quadrus (adj.) "square," related to quattuor "four" (see four). Now-archaic sense of "square or diamond-shaped plane of glass" first recorded mid-15c.
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v.
late 14c., "to raise an objection;" 1520s as "to contend violently, to fall out," from quarrel (n.1) and in part from Old French quereler (Modern French quereller). Related: Quarrelled; quarrelling.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Idioms and Phrases with quarrel
quarrel
see pick a quarrel.
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The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.