Etymology
Origin uncertain. Possibly from quib (“quibble”, noun) + -le (diminutive ending). Quib is probably from Latin quibus (“in what respect? how?”), which appeared frequently in legal documents[1] and came to be suggestive of the verbosity and petty argumentation found therein; or perhaps an alteration of quip. Alternatively, perhaps related to dialectal Dutch kwebbelen (“to speak quickly and continuously, chatter”). Compare also Scots wheebele (“a quibble”).
Noun
quibble (plural quibbles)
- An argument or objection based on an ambiguity of wording or similar trivial circumstance; a minor complaint. [from 17th c.]
- Synonyms: see Thesaurus:dispute
He harped on his quibble about how the dark red paint should be described as carmine rather than burgundy.
1741, I[saac] Watts, The Improvement of the Mind: Or, A Supplement to the Art of Logick: […], London: […] James Brackstone, […], →OCLC, paragraph:Quibbles […] have no place in the search after truth.
1995 June 27, Michiko Kakutani, “Playing Pygmalion to a Hermeneutic Computer”, in New York Times:Toward the end of “Galatea,” there are a few missteps: […] All in all, though, these are minor quibbles.
2020 March 25, “Network News: Passengers offered refunds or switched fares”, in Rail, page 7: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.
- (archaic) A pun. [from 17th c.]
1864, Robert Kemp Philp, editor, The Family Friend, page 54:Is it a quibble, or play upon words?
1870, Richard Grant White, The complete works of Shakspere, with a memoir, and essay: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
a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument
Verb
quibble (third-person singular simple present quibbles, present participle quibbling, simple past and past participle quibbled)
- (informal, intransitive) To complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner.
They are constantly quibbling over insignificant details.
1871, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], chapter X, in Middlemarch […], volume I, Edinburgh, London: William Blackwood and Sons, →OCLC, book (please specify |book=I to VIII):“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.
1904 May, Winston Churchill, chapter VI, in The Crossing, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, book II (Flotsam and Jetsam), page 314:“I dog no one, Mr. Temple,” I replied bitterly. “We'll not quibble about words,” said he.
2023 July 24, Ryan Mac, Tiffany Hsu, “From Twitter to X: Elon Musk Begins Erasing an Iconic Internet Brand”, in The New York Times, →ISSN: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.
- (informal, rare, transitive) To contest, especially some trivial issue in a petty manner.
The customer quibbled the bill.
Translations
to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner
- Bulgarian: заяждам се (zajaždam se)
- Czech: hašteřit
- Dutch: muggenziften (nl)
- Esperanto: ĉikani (eo)
- Finnish: marista (fi), narista (fi), kitistä (fi)
- French: chicaner (fr), ergoter (fr), chinoiser (fr), chipoter (fr), pinailler (fr)
- Georgian: დაწვრილმანება (dac̣vrilmaneba), წვრილმანზე კამათი (c̣vrilmanze ḳamati)
- German: herumstreiten (de), kleinlich sein
- Italian: cavillare (it)
- Latin: cavillari
- Portuguese: preocupar-se, preocupar-se com minúcias, discutir (pt)
- Russian: придира́ться (ru) (pridirátʹsja)
- Serbo-Croatian: cepidlačiti (sh)
- Spanish: buscar evasivas, sutilizar (es), andar con sutilezas
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References
Wheelock's Latin, Frederic M. Wheelock, 6th ed., p. 115