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Webster 1913 Edition


Squabble

Squab′ble

(skwŏb′b’l)
,
Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Squabbled
(-b’ld)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Squabbling
(-blĭng)
.]
[Cf. dial. Sw.
skvabbel
a dispute,
skvappa
to chide.]
1.
To contend for superiority in an unseemly manner; to scuffle; to struggle; to wrangle; to quarrel.
2.
To debate peevishly; to dispute.
The sense of these propositions is very plain, though logicians might
squabble
a whole day whether they should rank them under negative or affirmative.
I. Watts.
Syn. – To dispute; contend; scuffle; wrangle; quarrel; struggle.

Squab′ble

,
Verb.
T.
(Print.)
To disarrange, so that the letters or lines stand awry or are mixed and need careful readjustment; – said of type that has been set up.

Squab′ble

,
Noun.
A scuffle; a wrangle; a brawl.

Webster 1828 Edition


Squabble

SQUABBLE

,
Verb.
I.
[I know not the origin of this word, but it seems to be from the root of wabble; G., to vibrate, to quake, to be sleek. See Squab.]
1.
To contend for superiority; to scuffle; to struggle; as, two persons squabble in sport.
2.
To contend; to wrangle; to quarrel.
3.
To debate peevishly; to dispute. If there must be disputes, it is less criminal to squabble than to murder.
[Squabble is not an elegant word in any of its uses. In some of them it is low.]

SQUABBLE

,
Noun.
A scuffle; a wrangle; a brawl; a petty quarrel.

Definition 2024


squabble

squabble

English

Noun

squabble (plural squabbles)

  1. A minor fight or argument as between children, for example.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

squabble (third-person singular simple present squabbles, present participle squabbling, simple past and past participle squabbled)

  1. (intransitive) To participate in a minor fight or argument.
    The brothers were always squabbling with each other.
    • I. Watts
      The sense of these propositions is very plain, though logicians might squabble a whole day whether they should rank them under negative or affirmative.
  2. (transitive, printing) To disarrange, so that the letters or lines stand awry and require readjustment.
    to squabble type

Synonyms

  • See also Wikisaurus:squabble

Derived terms

Translations