squabble

Etymology

1600s, probably of North Germanic origin and ultimately imitative. Related to Swedish dialectal skvabbel (“a dispute, quarrel, gossip”), Norwegian dialectal skvabba (“to prattle”), German dialectal schwabbeln (“to babble, prattle”), Swedish dialectal skvappa (“to chide, scold”, literally “make a splash”).

noun

1. A minor fight or argument.
   The children got into a squabble about who should ride in the front of the car.

verb

1. (intransitive) To participate in a minor fight or argument; to quarrel.
   The brothers were always squabbling with each other.
2. (transitive, printing) To disarrange, so that the letters or lines stand awry and require readjustment.
   to squabble type