definitions

quibbling

[ kwib-ling ]
/ ˈkwɪb lɪŋ /
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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR quibbling ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

characterized by or consisting of quibbles; carping; niggling: quibbling debates.

noun

the act of a person who quibbles.
an instance of quibbling: a relationship marked by frequent quibblings.

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RELATED WORDS

complaining, niggling, griping, fault-finding, hairsplitting, nit-picking, captious, elusive, evasive, sophistic, casuistic, prevaricative, sophistical

Nearby words

qui nhon, qui nhong, qui transtulit sustinet, qui vive, quibble, quibbling, quibdó, quiberon, quiche, quiche lorraine, quichua

Origin of quibbling

First recorded in 1650–60; quibble + -ing2, -ing1

Related forms

quib·bling·ly, adverbun·quib·bling, adjective

Definition for quibbling (2 of 2)

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.

Origin of quibble

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

Related forms

quib·bler, nounout·quib·ble, verb (used with object), out·quib·bled, out·quib·bling.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for quibbling

British Dictionary definitions for quibbling

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

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