squabble

  • 1Squabble — Squab ble (skw[o^]b b l), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Squabbled} ( b ld); p. pr. & vb. n. {Squabbling} ( bl[i^]ng).] [Cf. dial. Sw. skvabbel a dispute, skvappa to chide.] 1. To contend for superiority in an unseemly manner; to scuffle; to struggle; to… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2squabble — n *quarrel, wrangle, altercation, bickering, spat, tiff Analogous words: dispute, controversy, *argument: row, rumpus, scrap, *brawl, broil squabble vb quarrel, wrangle, altercate, bicker, spat, tiff (see under QUARREL n) Analogous words:… …

    New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 3squabble — [n] argument altercation, bickering, controversy, difference, difference of opinion, disagreement, dispute, feud, fight, flap*, fuss*, hassle, quarrel, row*, scene*, scrap*, set to*, spat*, tiff*, words*, wrangle; concept 46 Ant. agreement,… …

    New thesaurus

  • 4squabble — ► NOUN ▪ a trivial noisy quarrel. ► VERB ▪ engage in a squabble. ORIGIN probably imitative …

    English terms dictionary

  • 5Squabble — Squab ble, v. 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. [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 6Squabble — Squab ble, n. A scuffle; a wrangle; a brawl. [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 7squabble — index affray, altercation, bicker, brawl (noun), brawl (verb), confrontation (altercation), contend ( …

    Law dictionary

  • 8squabble — (n.) c.1600, probably of imitative origin (Cf. dialectal Swedish skvabbel quarrel, dialectal Ger. schwabbeln to babble, prattle ). The verb is recorded from c.1600 …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 9squabble — [skwäb′əl] vi. squabbled, squabbling [< Scand as in Swed skvabbel, a dispute] to quarrel noisily over a small matter; wrangle n. a noisy, petty quarrel or dispute; wrangle SYN. QUARREL2 squabbler n …

    English World dictionary

  • 10squabble — noun ADJECTIVE ▪ minor, petty ▪ bitter, unseemly (BrE) ▪ domestic, family, marital ▪ polit …

    Collocations dictionary