From en.wiktionary.org:
** English
[2012]
*** Etymology
Origin [en]. Possibly from [en]. _Quib_ is probably from [en], 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
[en]. Alternatively, perhaps related to dialectal [nl]. Compare also [sco].
*** Pronunciation
- [en]
- [en]
- [en]
*** Noun
[en-noun]
1. An argument or objection based on an ambiguity of wording or similar trivial circumstance ; a minor complaint . [from 17th c.]
2. * [passage= QUIBBLES [...] have no place in the search after truth.]
3. * [en]
4. * [en]
5. [en] A pun . [from 17th c.]
6. * [en]
7. * [en]
**** Translations
[a trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument]
- Bulgarian: [bg]
- Czech: [cs] , [cs]
- Dutch: [nl]
- Finnish: [fi] , [fi] , [fi] , [fi] [complaint] ; [fi] , [fi] [argument]
- French: [fr]
- Georgian: [ka] , [ka]
- German: [de] , [de] , [de]
- Hungarian: [hu]
- Italian: [it]
- Portuguese: [pt]
- Russian: [ru]
- Serbo-Croatian: [sh]
- Spanish: [es] , [es]
[trans-bottom]
*** Verb
[en-verb]
1. [en] To complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner.
2. * [chapter=X]
3. * [chapter=VI]
4. * [en]
5. [en] To contest , especially some trivial issue in a petty manner.
**** Synonyms
- See Thesaurus:squabble
**** Translations
[to complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner]
- Bulgarian: [bg]
- Czech: [cs]
- Dutch: [nl]
- Esperanto: [eo]
- Finnish: [fi] , [fi] , [fi]
- French: [fr] , [fr] , [fr] , [fr] , [fr]
- Georgian: [ka] , [ka]
- German: [de] , kleinlich sein
- Italian: [it]
- Latin: [la]
- Portuguese: [pt] , preocupar - se com minúcias , [pt]
- Russian: [ru]
- Serbo-Croatian: [sh]
- Spanish: buscar evasivas , [es] , andar con sutilezas
[trans-bottom]
*** References
References:
[1]. Wheelock's Latin, Frederic M. Wheelock, 6th ed., p. 115