quibble
[ kwib-uhl ]
/ ˈkwɪb əl /
noun
an instance of the use of ambiguous, prevaricating, or irrelevant language or arguments to evade a point at issue.
the general use of such arguments.
petty or carping criticism; a minor objection.
verb (used without object), quib·bled, quib·bling.
to equivocate.
to carp; cavil.
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SYNONYMS FOR quibble
OTHER WORDS FROM quibble
quib·bler, nounout·quib·ble, verb (used with object), out·quib·bled, out·quib·bling.Words nearby quibble
quezon y molina, qui nhon, qui nhong, qui transtulit sustinet, qui vive, quibble, quibbling, quibdó, quiberon, quiche, quiche lorraine
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for quibble
British Dictionary definitions for quibble
quibble
/ (ˈkwɪbəl) /
verb (intr)
to make trivial objections; prevaricate
archaic to play on words; pun
noun
a trivial objection or equivocation, esp one used to avoid an issue
archaic a pun
Derived forms of quibble
quibbler, nounquibbling, adjective, nounquibblingly, adverbWord Origin for quibble
C17: probably from obsolete quib, perhaps from Latin quibus (from quī who, which), as used in legal documents, with reference to their obscure phraseology
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