View source for quibble

==English==
{{was wotd|2012|March|11}}

===Etymology===
Origin {{unc|en|title=uncertain}}. Possibly from {{af|en|quib|t1=quibble|pos1=noun|-le|id2=diminutive|pos2=diminutive ending}}. ''Quib'' is probably from {{der|en|la|quibus||in what respect? how?}}, which appeared frequently in legal documents<ref>Wheelock's Latin, Frederic M. Wheelock, 6th ed., p. 115</ref> and came to be suggestive of the verbosity and petty argumentation found therein; or perhaps an alteration of {{m|en|quip}}. Alternatively, perhaps related to dialectal {{cog|nl|kwebbelen|t=to speak quickly and continuously, chatter}}. Compare also {{cog|sco|wheebele|t=a quibble}}.

===Pronunciation===
* {{IPA|en|/ˈkwɪbəl/}}
* {{audio|en|en-au-quibble.ogg|a=AU}}
* {{rhymes|en|ɪbəl|s=2}}

===Noun===
{{en-noun}}

# An [[argument#Noun|argument]] or [[objection#Noun|objection]] [[base#Verb|based]] on an [[ambiguity]] of [[wording#Noun|wording]] or [[similar#Adjective|similar]] [[trivial#Adjective|trivial]] [[circumstance#Noun|circumstance]]; a [[minor#Adjective|minor]] [[complaint]]. {{defdate|from 17th c.}}
#: {{synonyms|en|Thesaurus:dispute}}
#: {{ux|en|He harped on his '''quibble''' about how the dark red paint should be described as [[carmine]] rather than [[burgundy]].}}
#* {{RQ:Watts Improvement|passage='''Quibbles''' {{...}}have no place in the search after truth.}}
#* {{quote-journal|en|work=New York Times|title=Playing Pygmalion to a Hermeneutic Computer|author=Michiko Kakutani|date=1995-06-27|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/06/27/books/books-of-the-times-playing-pygmalion-to-a-hermeneutic-computer.html?searchResultPosition=2|passage=Toward the end of “Galatea,” there are a few missteps: {{...|Mr. Powers's increasingly anthropomorphic treatment of Helen grows more and more sentimental, and his treatment of Rick's obsession with Helen's human competitor often feels awkward and forced as well.}} All in all, though, these are minor '''quibbles'''.}}
#* {{quote-journal|en|date=2020 March 25|title=Network News: Passengers offered refunds or switched fares|journal=Rail|page=7|text=Essentially, we want a commitment to no-'''quibble''' refunds, without admin fees, if people who have already paid decide not to travel because of the virus.}}
# {{lb|en|archaic}} A [[pun#Noun|pun]]. {{defdate|from 17th c.}}
#* {{quote-text|en|year=1864|editor=Robert Kemp Philp|title=The Family Friend|page=54|passage=Is it a '''quibble''', or play upon words?}}
#* {{quote-book|en|year=1870|author=Richard Grant White|title=The complete works of Shakspere, with a memoir, and essay|passage=This is a '''quibble''' between ''council'' and ''counsel''. The latter word is still used to imply secrecy; as in the phrase, "keep your own counsel."}}

====Translations====
{{trans-top|a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument}}
* Bulgarian: {{t+|bg|заяждане|n}}
* Czech: {{t|cs|slovíčkaření|n}}, {{t|cs|hašteření|n}}
* Dutch: {{t+|nl|haarkloverij|f}}
* Finnish: {{t+|fi|marina}}, {{t+|fi|narina}}, {{t+|fi|kitinä}}, {{t+|fi|mutina}} {{q|complaint}}; {{t+|fi|suukopu}}, {{t+|fi|kränä}} {{q|argument}}
* French: {{t+|fr|argutie|f}}
* Georgian: {{t|ka|უმნიშვნელო შენიშვნა}}, {{t|ka|შენიშვნა}}
* German: {{t|de|kleinliche Kritik|f}}, {{t+|de|Spitzfindigkeit|f}}, {{t+|de|Haarspalterei|f}}
* Hungarian: {{t+|hu|szőrszálhasogatás}}
* Italian: {{t+|it|cavillo|m}}
* Portuguese: {{t+|pt|minúcia|f}}
* Russian: {{t+|ru|приди́рка|f}}
* Serbo-Croatian: {{t|sh|cepidlačenje}}
* Spanish: {{t+|es|sutileza|f}}, {{t+|es|argucia|f}}
{{trans-bottom}}

===Verb===
{{en-verb}}

# {{lb|en|informal|intransitive}} To [[complain]] or [[argue]] in a [[trivial]] or [[petty]] manner.
#: {{ux|en|They are constantly '''quibbling''' over insignificant details.}}
#* {{RQ:Eliot Middlemarch|chapter=X|volume=I|passage=“Oh, if you talk in that sense!” said Mr. Standish, with as much disgust at such non-legal '''quibbling''' as a man can well betray towards a valuable client.}}
#* {{RQ:Churchill Crossing|chapter=VI|page=314|passage=“I dog no one, Mr. Temple,” I replied bitterly. “We'll not '''quibble''' about words,” said he.}}
#* {{quote-journal|en|author=Ryan Mac; Tiffany Hsu|title=From Twitter to X: Elon Musk Begins Erasing an Iconic Internet Brand|work=The New York Times|date=2023-07-24|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/24/technology/twitter-x-elon-musk.html|issn=0362-4331|passage=Mr. Musk has shown a disdain toward Twitter’s previous corporate culture. He has '''quibbled''' with the number of bird references in the company’s internal team names and products.}}
# {{lb|en|informal|rare|transitive}} To [[contest]], especially some [[trivial]] issue in a [[petty]] manner.
#: {{ux|en|The customer '''quibbled''' the bill.}}

====Synonyms====
* See [[Thesaurus:squabble]]

====Translations====
{{trans-top|to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner}}
* Bulgarian: {{t|bg|заяждам се}}
* Czech: {{t|cs|hašteřit}}
* Dutch: {{t+|nl|muggenziften}}
* Esperanto: {{t+|eo|ĉikani}}
* Finnish: {{t+|fi|marista}}, {{t+|fi|narista}}, {{t+|fi|kitistä}}
* French: {{t+|fr|chicaner}}, {{t+|fr|ergoter}}, {{t+|fr|chinoiser}}, {{t+|fr|chipoter}}, {{t+|fr|pinailler}}
* Georgian: {{t|ka|დაწვრილმანება}}, {{t|ka|წვრილმანზე კამათი}}
* German: {{t+|de|herumstreiten}}, [[kleinlich]] [[sein]]
* Italian: {{t+|it|cavillare}}
* Latin: {{t|la|cavillari}}
* Portuguese: {{t|pt|preocupar-se}}, [[preocupar-se]] [[com]] [[minúcias]], {{t+|pt|discutir}}
* Russian: {{t+|ru|придира́ться}}
* Serbo-Croatian: {{t+|sh|cepidlačiti}}
* Spanish: [[buscar]] [[evasivas]], {{t+|es|sutilizar}}, [[andar]] [[con]] [[sutilezas]]
{{trans-bottom}}

===References===
<references/>