quarrel

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈkwɒɹəl/

  • Audio (RP)

    (file)

• (US) enPR: 'kwôrəl, 'kwŏrəl, IPA^(key): /ˈkwɔɹəl/, /ˈkwɑɹəl/

  • Audio (GA)

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒɹəl

From Old French querele (modern French querelle), itself from Latin querella (“complaint”), from queror (“I lament, I complain”).

Replaced Old English sacan by 1340 as “ground for complaint”.

quarrel (plural quarrels)

1. A verbal dispute or heated argument.

   We got into a silly quarrel about what food to order.

   • (Can we date this quote?) François de La Rochefoucauld

     Quarrels would not last long if the fault were only on one side.

   • 2016, John O'Sullivan, Former Thatcher speechwriter discusses Brexit, [Video], C-SPAN at The Heritage Foundation, June 2016. At 4'27".

     All quarrels halt at the grave.

2. A ground of dispute or objection; a complaint.

   A few customers in the shop had some quarrels with us, so we called for the manager.

   • Bible, Mark vi. 19

     Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him.

   • (Can we date this quote?) Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, Act 3, scene 4

     You mistake, sir. I am sure no man hath any quarrel to me. -

3. (obsolete) earnest desire or longing.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Holland to this entry?)

• See also Thesaurus:dispute

• querent

quarrel (third-person singular simple present quarrels, present participle (UK) quarrelling or (US) quarreling, simple past and past participle (UK) quarrelled or (US) quarreled) (intransitive)

1. (intransitive) To disagree.
2. (intransitive) To contend, argue fiercely, squabble.
   • (Can we date this quote?) Sir W. Temple

     Beasts called sociable quarrel in hunger and lust.

3. (intransitive) To find fault; to cavil.

   to quarrel with one's lot

   • (Can we date this quote?) Roscommon

     I will not quarrel with a slight mistake.

4. (transitive, obsolete) To argue or squabble with.
   • (Can we date this quote?) Ben Jonson

     I had quarrelled my brother purposely.

• quarreler, quarreller
• quarrelsome

From Middle English as "square-headed bolt for a crossbow" c.1225, borrowed from Old French quarel (modern French carreau), from Vulgar Latin *quadrellus, the diminutive of Latin quadrus (“a square”). Related to quattuor (“four”).

quarrel (plural quarrels)

1. A diamond-shaped piece of coloured glass forming part of a stained glass window.
2. A square tile; quarry tile.
3. A square-headed arrow for a crossbow.
   • 1600, Edward Fairfax, The Jerusalem Delivered of Tasso, Book VII, ciii:

     Twanged the string, out flew the quarrel long, / And through the subtle air did singing pass.

   • (Can we date this quote?) Sir John Mandeville

     to shoot with arrows and quarrel

   • (Can we date this quote?) Sir Walter Scott

     two arblasts, […] with windlaces and quarrels

   • 1829, Edward Augustus Kendall, The Olio or Museum of Entertainment, Vol.III, p.174

     The small cross-bow, called the arbalet or arbalest, is said to have been invented by the Sicilians. It was carried by the foot-soldiers, and when used was charged with a quarrel or bar-bolt, that is, a small arrow with a flat head, one of which occasioned the death of Harold at the battle of Hastings, […].

   • 2000. George R. R. Martin, A Storm of Swords, Part 2, p.379

     Satin scooped up his crossbow and sent a few quarrels after them as they ran, to see them off the faster.

4. A small opening in window tracery, of which the cusps etc. make the form nearly square.
5. A four-sided cutting tool or chisel with a diamond-shaped end.

• (arrow): carrel

• quarl

• crossbow bolt on Wikipedia.Wikipedia