quarrel

noun

1. 1

   A dispute or heated argument (especially one that is verbal).

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

   And let a Man bevvare, hovv he keepeth Company, vvith Cholerick and Quarelſome Perſons; for they vvill engage him into their ovvne Quarels.

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

   But capital was proving difficult to raise; rumours were in the air that the G.W.R. and L.S.W.R. were about to patch up their quarrel, and the people of Southampton, who twelve months earlier had staged a torch-light procession to celebrate the passing of the D.N.S.R. Act, were increasingly loath to part with their cash.

2. 2

   Often preceded by a form of to have: a basis or ground of dispute or objection; a complaint; also, a feeling or situation of ill will and unhappiness caused by this.

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

   I have no quarrel with her; it’s her partner whom I dislike.

   I maruaile much my Lords what rage it is, That moues my people whom I loue ſo deare, Vnder a ſhow of quarrell good and iust, To riſe againſt vs thus in mutinies, […]

   You miſtake ſir I am ſure, no man hath any quarrell to me: my remembrance is very free and cleere from any image of offence done to any man.

3. 3

   rareA propensity to quarrel; quarrelsomeness.

   If I can faſten but one cup vpon him, / With that which he hath drunke to night already, / Hee'll be as full of quarrell and offence, / As my young miſtris dog:— [...]

   [A]ll beaſts and birds aſſembled; and forgetting their ſeuerall appetites; ſome of pray, ſome of game, ſome of quarrell, ſtood all ſociably together liſtening vnto the ayres and accords of the Harpe; […]

verb

1. 1

   figurativeTo argue fiercely; to contend; to squabble; to cease to be on friendly terms, to fall out.

   Nay, they [animals] feed quietly together while there is enough for them all: Quarrel onely when it begins to fail; and when 'tis ended, they ſcatter to ſeek out new encounters. Besides, thoſe called ſociable, quarrel in hunger and in luſt, as well as the others; [...]

   I know, my dears, that when we recollect how patient and how mild he was; although he was a little, little child; we shall not quarrel easily among ourselves, and forget poor Tiny Tim in doing it.

2. 2

   To find fault; to cavil.

   to quarrel with one’s lot

   Be not too rigidly Cenſorious, / A ſtring may jarr in the beſt Maſters hand, / And the moſt skilfull Archer miſs his aim; / But in a Poem elegantly writ, / I will not quarrel with a ſlight miſtake, / Such as our Natures frailty may excuſe; [...]

3. 3

   obsoleteFollowed by at: to disagree with; to take offence.

4. 4

   To argue or squabble with (someone).

   [T]hey would ſay [...] that I had quarrell'd / My brother purpoſely, thereby to finde / An apt pretext, to baniſh them my houſe.

noun

1. 1

   historicalAn arrow or bolt for a crossbow or an arbalest (“a late, large type of crossbow”), traditionally with the head square in its cross section.

   Twanged the ſtring, out flew the quarell long, / And through the ſubtile aire did ſinging pas, / It hit the knight the buckles rich among, / Wherewith his pretious girdle faſt'ned was, / It bruſed them and pearſt his hawberke ſtrong, / Some little blood downe trickled on the gras; [...]

   Here be two arblasts, comrade, with windlaces and quarrells—to the barbican with you, and see you drive each bolt through a Saxon brain.

   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 [Godwinson] at the battle of Hastings, [...]

   "What was that?" he asked, as a hissing, sharp-drawn voice seemed to whisper in his ear. The steersman smiled, and pointed with his foot to where a short heavy cross-bow quarrel stuck quivering in the boards.

2. 2

   A diamond- or square-shaped piece of glass forming part of a lattice window.

3. 3

   A square tile; a quarry tile; (uncountable) such tiles collectively.

4. 4

   obsoleteA cutting tool or chisel with a diamond- or square-shaped end.

5. 5

   obsoleteA small square-shaped opening in window tracery.

Forms

plural

quarrels

past tense

quarreled, quarrelled

past participle

quarreled, quarrelled

present participle

quarreling, quarrelling

third person singular

quarrels