Dictionary Definition
quibble n : an evasion of the point of an
argument by raising irrelevant distinctions or objections [syn:
quiddity, cavil]
Verb
1 evade the truth of a point or question by
raising irrelevant objections
2 argue over petty things; "Let's not quibble
over pennies" [syn: niggle, pettifog, bicker, squabble, brabble]
User Contributed Dictionary
English
Pronunciation
- Rhymes: -ɪbəl
Noun
Translations
- Finnish: kiusanaihe, kränä (colloquial)
- French: argutie (f)
- Portuguese: minúcia (f)
- Spanish: sutileza (f), argucia (f)
Verb
Translations
Extensive Definition
A quibble may refer to:
- a trivial objection
- a pun, or play on words
- Quibble (computing)
- Quibble (plot device), in narratology
Synonyms, Antonyms and Related Words
adverse criticism, animadversion, argue, argufy, around the bush, aspersion, bad notices, bad
press, bandy words, beat about, beg the question, bicker, boggle, captiousness, carp, carping, catch at straws,
cavil, caviling, censoriousness, chicane, chop logic, choplogic, contend, contest, criticism, criticize, cross swords, cut
and thrust, cut up, discept, dispute, dodge, equivocate, equivocation, evade, evade the issue, evasion, exception, fault-find,
faultfinding,
fence, find fault,
flak, give and take,
hair-splitting, hairsplitting, hassle, have it out, hedge, hit, home thrust, hostile criticism,
hypercriticalness,
hypercriticism,
imputation, jesuitism, join issue,
knock, lock horns,
logomachize,
moot, mystify, nagging, nicety, niggle, niggling, nit, nit-picking, nitpick, obloquy, obscure, overcriticalness,
palter, paltering, parry, pestering, pettifog, pettifogging, pick holes,
pick nits, pick to pieces, plead, polemicize, polemize, prevaricate, priggishness, pull apart,
pull to pieces, pussyfoot, quibbling, quiddity, quillet, quip, quirk, quodlibet, rap, reflection, reproachfulness,
shift, shuffle, shy, sidestep, slam, sophism, sophistry, spar, split hairs, squabble, stricture, subtlety, swipe, take exception, take sides,
taking exception, tear apart, tear to pieces, tergiversate, thrash out,
trichoschistism,
try conclusions, wrangle