quarrel

Etymology 1

From Middle English querele (“altercation, dispute; argument, debate; armed combat; trial by combat; basis for dispute, complaint; claim, legal suit; a lament; illness”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman querele [and other forms] and Middle French querele, querelle (“altercation, dispute; basis for dispute; side in a dispute; complaint; accusation; legal suit; lament; problem”) (modern French querelle), and from their etymon Latin querēla, querella (“dispute; argument; complaint, grievance; legal complaint; lament; illness”), from querī + -ēla, -ella (suffix forming nouns). Querī is the present active infinitive of queror (“to complain; to bewail, lament; to be indignant”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱwes- (“to puff; to sigh”). The word had replaced Old English sacan (“basis for dispute”) by 1340.

noun

1. (countable) A dispute or heated argument (especially one that is verbal).
   We got into a silly quarrel about what food to order.
   Quarrels would not last long, if the fault was only on one side. 1851, Francis, Duc de la Rochefoucauld [i.e., François de La Rochefoucauld], translated by [anonymous], Moral Reflections, Sentences and Maxims of Francis, Duc de la Rochefoucauld.[…], New York, N.Y.: William Gowans, →OCLC, number 523, page 140
   All quarrels halt at the grave. 17 June 2016, John O’Sullivan, “U.K. Membership in the European Union”, in C-SPAN, 4:34 from the start, archived from the original on 2020-12-23
2. (countable) 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.
3. (rare, uncountable) A propensity to quarrel; quarrelsomeness.

Etymology 2

From Middle English querelen (“to dispute, quarrel; to assert one's claims; to rebel”) [and other forms], from querele (noun); see etymology 1. Compare Anglo-Norman, Middle French, and Old French quereler, quereller (“to argue with, dispute; to criticize; to bring a legal suit”) (modern French quereller (“to quarrel, squabble”)).

verb

1. (intransitive, also figurative) To argue fiercely; to contend; to squabble; to cease to be on friendly terms, to fall out.
2. (intransitive) To find fault; to cavil.
   to quarrel with one’s lot
3. (intransitive, obsolete) Followed by at: to disagree with; to take offence.
4. (transitive, obsolete except Scotland) To argue or squabble with (someone).

Etymology 3

PIE word *kʷetwóres of the 16th or 17th century.]] From Middle English quarrel (“bolt for an arbalest, crossbow, or siege engine; (figurative) seductive glance, temptation to sin; needle (possibly one square in cross-section); small (perhaps square-shaped) opening in window tracery; a cushion (perhaps square-shaped)”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman quarel, quarele, quarrel, Middle French quarrel, and Old French quarel, quarrel, carrel (“crossbow bolt; floor tile or paving stone (rectangular- or square-shaped); small glass pane for windows”) (modern French carreau (“crossbow bolt; a tile; windowpane; a square”)), from Late Latin quarellus, quadrellus (“crossbow bolt; paving stone; a tile”), from Latin quadrum (“a square; square section; regular shape or form”) + -ellus (variant of -ulus (suffix forming diminutive nouns, indicating small size or youth)). Quadrum is ultimately derived from quattuor (“four”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷetwóres (“four”).

noun

1. (countable, archery, historical) An arrow or bolt for a crossbow or an arbalest (“a late, large type of crossbow”), traditionally with the head square in its cross section.
   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, … 1829 January–July, [Edward Augustus Kendall], “Illustrations of History. Archery.”, in The Olio; or Museum of Entertainment, volume III, London: […] Shackell and Carfrae [for] Joseph Shackell,[…], →OCLC, page 174, column 2
2. (countable, architecture) A diamond- or square-shaped piece of glass forming part of a lattice window.
3. (countable, Northern England, architecture) A square tile; a quarry tile; (uncountable) such tiles collectively.
4. (countable, obsolete, rare) A cutting tool or chisel with a diamond- or square-shaped end.
5. (countable, architecture, obsolete) A small square-shaped opening in window tracery.