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quarrel - 12 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.
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Quarrel

Quar"rel\, n. [OE. quarel, OF. quarrel, F. carreau, LL. quadrellus, from L. quadrus square. See Quadrate, and cf. Quadrel, Quarry an arrow, Carrel.]

1. An arrow for a crossbow; -- so named because it commonly had a square head. [Obs.]

To shoot with arrows and quarrel. --Sir J. Mandeville.

Two arblasts, . . . with windlaces and quarrels. --Sir W. Scott.

2. (Arch.) Any small square or quadrangular member; as: (a) A square of glass, esp. when set diagonally. (b) A small opening in window tracery, of which the cusps, etc., make the form nearly square. (c) A square or lozenge-shaped paving tile.

3. A glazier's diamond. --Simmonds.

4. A four-sided cutting tool or chisel having a diamond-shaped end.

Quarrel

Quar"rel\, n. [OE. querele, OF. querele, F. querelle, fr. L. querela, querella, a complaint, fr. queri to complain. See Querulous.]

1. A breach of concord, amity, or obligation; a falling out; a difference; a disagreement; an antagonism in opinion, feeling, or conduct; esp., an angry dispute, contest, or strife; a brawl; an altercation; as, he had a quarrel with his father about expenses.

I will bring a sword upon you that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant. --Lev. xxvi. 25.

On open seas their quarrels they debate. --Dryden.

2. Ground of objection, dislike, difference, or hostility; cause of dispute or contest; occasion of altercation.

Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him. --Mark vi. 19.

No man hath any quarrel to me. --Shak.

He thought he had a good quarrel to attack him. --Holinshed.

3. Earnest desire or longing. [Obs.] --Holland.

To pick a quarrel. See under Pick, v. t.

Syn: Brawl; broil; squabble; affray; feud; tumult; contest; dispute; altercation; contention; wrangle.

Quarrel

Quar"rel\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Quarreledor Quarrelled; p. pr. & vb. n. Quarreling or Quarrelling.]

1. To violate concord or agreement; to have a difference; to fall out; to be or become antagonistic.

Our people quarrel with obedience. --Shak.

But some defect in her Did quarrel with the noblest grace she owed. --Shak.

2. To dispute angrily, or violently; to wrangle; to scold; to altercate; to contend; to fight.

Beasts called sociable quarrel in hunger and lust. --Sir W. Temple.

3. To find fault; to cavil; as, to quarrel with one's lot.

I will not quarrel with a slight mistake. --Roscommon.

Quarrel

Quar"rel\, v. t. 1. To quarrel with. [R.] "I had quarelled my brother purposely." --B. Jonson.

2. To compel by a quarrel; as, to quarrel a man out of his estate or rights.

Quarrel

Quar"rel\, n. [Written also quarreller.] One who quarrels or wrangles; one who is quarrelsome. --Shak.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : quarrel
Spanish: pelea, riña,
German: der Streit,
Japanese: けんか
More Translations »

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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quarrel

see pick a quarrel.

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