quibble

Definitions


[ˈkwɪbl], (Noun)

Definitions:
- a slight objection or criticism about a trivial matter
(e.g: the only quibble about this book is the price)

- a play on words; a pun


Phrases:

Origin:
early 17th century (in the sense ‘play on words, pun’): diminutive of obsolete quib ‘a petty objection’, probably from Latin quibus, dative and ablative plural of qui, quae, quod ‘who, what, which’, frequently used in legal documents and so associated with subtle distinctions or verbal niceties


[ˈkwɪbl], (Verb)

Definitions:
- argue or raise objections about a trivial matter
(e.g: they are always quibbling about the amount they are prepared to pay)


Phrases:

Origin:
early 17th century (in the sense ‘play on words, pun’): diminutive of obsolete quib ‘a petty objection’, probably from Latin quibus, dative and ablative plural of qui, quae, quod ‘who, what, which’, frequently used in legal documents and so associated with subtle distinctions or verbal niceties




definition by Oxford Dictionaries