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quibble

[ kwib-uhl ]
/ ˈkwɪb əl /
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See synonyms for: quibble / quibbling / quibbler on Thesaurus.com
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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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.
His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.
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Origin of quibble

1605–15; perhaps derivative (cf. -le) of quib gibe, apparently akin to quip

OTHER WORDS FROM quibble

quibbler, nounoutquibble, verb (used with object), out·quib·bled, out·quib·bling.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to quibble

nicety, bicker, carp, spar, squabble, waffle, wrangle, artifice, cavil, criticism, dodge, duplicity, equivocation, evasion, niggle, pretense, prevarication, protest, quiddity, quirk

How to use quibble in a sentence

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, adverb

Word 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
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
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