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Quarrel

 - 7 dictionary results

quar⋅rel

1  [kwawr-uhl, kwor-] noun, verb, -reled, -rel⋅ing or (especially British) -relled, -rel⋅ling.
Use Quarrel in a Sentence
–noun
1. an angry dispute or altercation; a disagreement marked by a temporary or permanent break in friendly relations.
2. a cause of dispute, complaint, or hostile feeling: She has no quarrel with her present salary.
–verb (used without object)
3. to disagree angrily; squabble; wrangle.
4. to end a friendship as a result of a disagreement.
5. to make a complaint; find fault.
Origin:
1300–50; ME querele < OF < L querēla, querella a complaint, deriv. of querī to complain

Related forms:
quar⋅rel⋅er, noun
quar⋅rel⋅ing⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
1. argument, contention, controversy, difference, fight. Quarrel, dissension refer to disagreement and conflict. Quarrel applies chiefly to a verbal disagreement between individuals or groups and is used with reference to a large variety of situations, from a slight and petty difference of opinion to a violent altercation: It was little more than a domestic quarrel. Their quarrel led to the barroom brawl. Dissension usually implies a profound disagreement and bitter conflict. It also applies chiefly to conflict within a group or to members of the same group: dissension within the union; dissension among the Democrats. 3. bicker, argue, brawl, fight.

quar⋅rel

2  [kwawr-uhl, kwor-]
–noun
1. a square-headed bolt or arrow, formerly used with a crossbow.
2. Also, quarry. a small, square or diamond-shaped pane of glass, as used in latticed windows.
3. any of various tools with pyramidal heads.
Origin:
1175–1225; ME quarel < OF < ML quadrellus, dim. of L quadrus square
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To Quarrel
quar·rel 1   (kwôr'əl, kwŏr'-)   
n.  

  1. An angry dispute; an altercation.

  2. A cause of a dispute or an argument: We have no quarrel with the findings of the committee.

intr.v.   quar·reled or quar·relled, quar·rel·ing or quar·rel·ling, quar·rels

  1. To engage in a quarrel; dispute angrily. See Synonyms at argue.

  2. To disagree; differ: I quarrel with your conclusions.

  3. To find fault; complain.


[Middle English querele, from Old French, complaint, from Latin querella, querēla, from querī, to complain; see kwes- in Indo-European roots.]
quar'rel·er, quar'rel·ler n.
quar·rel 2   (kwôr'əl, kwŏr'-)   
n.  

  1. A bolt for a crossbow.

  2. A tool, such as a stonemason's chisel, that has a squared head.

  3. A small diamond-shaped or square pane of glass in a latticed window.


[Middle English quarel, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *quadrellus, diminutive of Late Latin quadrus, square, from Latin quadrum; see kwetwer- in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

quarrel  (1)
"angry dispute," 1340, "ground for complaint," from O.Fr. querele, from L. querella "complaint," from queri "to complain, lament." Replaced O.E. sacan. Sense of "contention between persons" is from 1572. The verb is attested from 1390 in the sense "to raise an objection;" 1530 with the meaning "to contend violently, to fall out." Quarrelsome is from 1596.

quarrel  (2)
"square-headed bolt for a crossbow," c.1225, from O.Fr. quarel, from V.L. *quadrellus, dim. of L.L. quadrus (adj.) "square," related to quattuor "four" (see quart). Archaic sense of "square or diamond-shaped plane of glass" first recorded 1447.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Idioms & Phrases

quarrel

see pick a quarrel.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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