quibbler

quib·ble

[kwib-uhl] noun, verb, quib·bled, quib·bling.
noun
1.
an instance of the use of ambiguous, prevaricating, or irrelevant language or arguments to evade a point at issue.
2.
the general use of such arguments.
3.
petty or carping criticism; a minor objection.
verb (used without object)
4.
to equivocate.
5.
to carp; cavil.
00:10
Quibbler is always a great word to know.
So is slumgullion. Does it mean:
a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.
a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.

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

quib·bler, noun
out·quib·ble, verb (used with object), out·quib·bled, out·quib·bling.


1. evasion, equivocation, sophism, shift, ambiguity.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To quibbler
Collins
World English Dictionary
quibble (ˈkwɪbəl) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
vb
1.  to make trivial objections; prevaricate
2.  archaic to play on words; pun
 
n
3.  a trivial objection or equivocation, esp one used to avoid an issue
4.  archaic a pun
 
[C17: probably from obsolete quib, perhaps from Latin quibus (from quī who, which), as used in legal documents, with reference to their obscure phraseology]
 
'quibbler
 
n
 
'quibbling
 
adj, —n
 
'quibblingly
 
adv

quibble (ˈkwɪbəl) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
vb
1.  to make trivial objections; prevaricate
2.  archaic to play on words; pun
 
n
3.  a trivial objection or equivocation, esp one used to avoid an issue
4.  archaic a pun
 
[C17: probably from obsolete quib, perhaps from Latin quibus (from quī who, which), as used in legal documents, with reference to their obscure phraseology]
 
'quibbler
 
n
 
'quibbling
 
adj, —n
 
'quibblingly
 
adv

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

quibble
1611, "a pun, a play on words," probably a dim. of quib "evasion of point at issue" (c.1550), from L. quibus "by what (things)?," dative and ablative plural of quid "what," neut. of quis (see who). The word's overuse in legal jargon supposedly gave it the association with trivial
argument. Meaning "equivocation, evasion of the point" is attested from 1670. The verb in this sense is from 1656.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Related Searches
Synonyms
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT