quarrel

¹

[ kwawr-uhl, kwor- ]

noun

1. an angry dispute or altercation; a disagreement marked by a temporary or permanent break in friendly relations.

   Synonyms: fight, difference, controversy, contention, argument

2. a cause of dispute, complaint, or hostile feeling:

   She has no quarrel with her present salary.

verb (used without object)

, quar·reled, quar·rel·ing or (especially British) quar·relled, quar·rel·ling.

1. to disagree angrily; squabble; wrangle.

   Synonyms: fight, brawl, argue, bicker

2. to end a friendship as a result of a disagreement.
3. to make a complaint; find fault.

quarrel

²

[ kwawr-uhl, kwor- ]

noun

1. a square-headed bolt or arrow, formerly used with a crossbow.
2. Also a small, square or diamond-shaped pane of glass, as used in latticed windows.
3. any of various tools with pyramidal heads.

quarrel

¹

/ ˈkwɒrəl /

noun

1. an arrow having a four-edged head, fired from a crossbow
2. a small square or diamond-shaped pane of glass, usually one of many in a fixed or casement window and framed with lead

quarrel

²

/ ˈkwɒrəl /

noun

1. an angry disagreement; argument
2. a cause of disagreement or dispute; grievance

verb

1. to engage in a disagreement or dispute; argue
2. to find fault; complain

Derived Forms

• ˈquarreller, noun

Other Words From

• quarrel·er noun
• quarrel·ing·ly adverb
• un·quarrel·ing adjective
• un·quarrel·ling adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of quarrel¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English querele, from Old French, from Latin querēla, querella “complaint,” noun derivative of querī “to complain”

Origin of quarrel²

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English quarel, from Old French, from Medieval Latin quadrellus, diminutive of Latin quadrus “square”

Word History and Origins

Origin of quarrel¹

C13: from Old French quarrel pane, from Medieval Latin quadrellus, diminutive of Latin quadrus square

Origin of quarrel²

C14: from Old French querele, from Latin querēlla complaint, from querī to complain

Idioms and Phrases

see pick a quarrel .

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

Many of the Djiboutian troops come from parts of the impoverished country where quarrels are often settled with fists, rocks or shards of glass, and some have the scars to prove it.

From Time

After the quarrel, Tinterova allegedly went for a walk at night along a lonely road in the rural countryside.

From The Daily Beast

The report also claims that some people believed they were lovers and having a lover’s quarrel in the elevator.

From Vox

Others wondered if the two had been sweet on each other and had a sort of lovers’ quarrel.

From Science News

In May 2018, however, the statue suddenly became the center of a quarrel that went far beyond local sensibilities.

From Time

Their quarrel is with more recently formed verbs like incentivize.

From The Daily Beast

When quiet, he realized that the quarrel was a metaphor for the Arab-Israeli conflict.

From The Daily Beast

For whenever I did so I was always reminded of that unfortunate quarrel.

From The Daily Beast

I share their concern about government, but this is not a quarrel with our government in Washington.

From The Daily Beast

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.

From The Daily Beast

The consequence of this quarrel was that, early in 1794, he found himself accused as a ci-devant noble.

From Project Gutenberg

But he would not quarrel with so old a man as Monsieur Farival, so he quarreled with Mariequita.

From Project Gutenberg

Villerias had another quarrel of this sort with the latter, after which they were quite friendly.

From Project Gutenberg

Suppose a quarrel breaks out in a branch association and two parties are formed, which of them is entitled to the property?

From Project Gutenberg

Sometimes a quarrel springs up in one of these associations, the members divide, who shall have the property?

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• altercation
• argument
• bickering
• brawl
• controversy
• difference
• difference of opinion
• discord
• dispute
• dissension
• disturbance
• falling-out
• feud
• fracas
• misunderstanding
• row
• ruckus
• run-in
• spat
• squabble