Words / C2

KWIBL/ˈkwɪbl/

To quibble is to argue about a small, often trivial, point: quibble over the wording, quibble about the fee. The noun is a quibble. Query (already in the dictionary) is a real question or doubt; cavil is the close literary twin. Nitpick is informal. Do not quibble over the running order to park an empty n.

Meaning

To argue about a small, often unimportant, point (also a noun: a quibble).

Examples

• “Do not quibble over the running order while the n is empty.”
• “Query is a genuine check (already in B2). Nitpick is informal. A header font can wait. A blank cell cannot. Small points are allowed after the methods sentence exists. Order of speeches is not a sample size. Fill the n; then argue the sequence.”

Good to know

Nitpick a small point (also a noun). Everyday: nitpick. Mix-up: query (a real question — already in this dictionary). A running order is not an n.

Near in meaning

query

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