Forms: 4 querele, 6 -el(l, quarel, 6–7 quar(r)ell, (7 Sc. querrell), 7– quarrel. [In Gower, a. OF. quereler (F. quereller), f. querele (see prec.): in later use prob. f. the sb.]
1. intr. To raise a complaint, protest or objection; to find fault; to take exception.
a. Const. with. Phr. To quarrel with one’s bread and butter: to give up a means of livelihood for insufficient reasons.
1390. Gower, Conf., III. 192. With that word the king quereleth And seith: Non is above me.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., I. iv. 6. If you take out every axiom … one by one, you may quarrel with them … at your pleasure.
1671. Milton, Samson, 60. I must not quarrel with the will Of highest dispensation.
1752. J. Gill, Trinity, iv. 81. I cannot see why any should quarrel with our translation.
1780. Craig, Mirror, No. 69, ¶ 1. How did she show superior sense by thus quarrelling with her bread and butter?
1894. H. Drummond, Ascent Man, 265. We cannot quarrel with the principle in … Nature which condemns to death the worst.
transf. 1830. J. G. Strutt, Sylva Brit., 82. It [the Chesnut] quarrels with no soil assigned to it.
† b. Const. at. Obs.
1585. W. Lambard, in Camden’s Lett. (1691), 29. This is all that I can quarrel at; and yet have I pried so far as I could.
a. 1662. Heylin, Laud (1668), 142. Which Clause … was now quarrel’d at by the Puritan Faction.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 26. The whole weight of their resentment seemed to tend to quarrelling at my command.
† c. absol. or with that. Obs. rare.
1555. Eden, Decades, 125. For all this were not the enemies satisfyed: querelinge that this thynge was doone by sum slyght.
1563. Foxe, A. & M. (1684), 865. To thintent to appeale, and … to querell vnder the … moste effectuall way.
2. intr. To contend violently, fall out, break off friendly relations, become inimical or hostile. Const. with (a person), for or about (a thing).
1530. Palsgr., 676/2. I quarell with one, I pycke a mater to hym to fall out with hym.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. lxxiv. § 1. Those [heretiques] which doe nothing else but quarrell.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., II. 638. Wine urg’d to lawless Lust the Centaurs Train, Thro’ Wine they quarrell’d.
1728. T. Sheridan, Persius, iii. (1739), 41. Quarrel for your Mince-meat, and refuse the Lullaby.
1829. Lytton, Devereux, II. v. She quarrelled with me for supping with St. John.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), V. 48. Having abundance of pasture and plenty of milk and flesh, they would have nothing to quarrel about.
fig. 1610. Shaks., Temp., III. i. 45. Some defect in her Did quarrell with the noblest grace she ow’d.
† 3. trans. To claim contentiously. Obs. rare.
1579. Fenton, Guicciard., 252. Ferdinand … had alwayes secretly quarrelled that title as lawfully apperteining to the crowne of Aragon.
1596. Danett, trans. Comines (1614), 241. The Emperors daughter was restored vnto him, and the countie of Artois together with all the townes he quarrelled.
† 4. To dispute, call in question, object to (an act, word, etc.); to challenge the validity or correctness of. Obs. (Freq. in 17th c.)
1609. Tourneur, Fun. Poeme Sir F. Vere, 491. If malignant censure quarrels it.
1644. Prynne & Walker, Fiennes’ Trial, 4. The Lords Orders being not only quarrelled, but contemned by those who were to bail him.
1699. Collier, 2nd Def. (1730), 326. This fine Phrase puts me in mind of his quarrelling a Sentence of mine for want … of Syntax.
1745. Ruddiman, Vind. Buchanan, 310 (Jam.). I hope you will not quarrel the words, for they are all Virgil’s.
1786. Burns, On Naething, v. Some quarrel the Presbyter gown, Some quarrel Episcopal graithing.
5. To find fault with (a person); to reprove angrily. Obs. exc. Sc. (Freq. in 17th c.)
1598. B. Jonson, Ev. Man in Hum., II. i. I had quarrell’d My brother purposely.
1621. J. Reynolds, God’s Rev. agst. Murder, I. i. 5. Quarrelling his taylor for the fashion of his clothes.
1688. Penton, Guard. Instruct. (1897), 47. Quarrelling the poor man for not coming sooner.
1728. Wodrow, Corr. (1843), III. 363. He ought not to be quarrelled for his opinions.
c. 1817. Hogg, Tales & Sk. (1837), III. 344. They might kill a good many without being quarrelled for it.
1897. Crockett, Lads’ Love, xiii. 150. It was my fault, mither—I quarrelled her. I angered her. I taunted her till she did it.
† 6. With complement: To force or bring by quarrelling. Obs.
1610. B. Jonson, Alch., IV. vii. K iv. You must quarrell him out o’the house.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., III. xi. § 2. Many English Bishops … fearing by degrees they should all be quarrelled out of their places … fled into Scotland. Ibid. (1655), Hist. Camb. (1840), 159. How easy was it for covetousness, in those ticklish times, to quarrel the College lands into superstition?
1678. Yng. Mans Call., 167. There are many … that quarrel themselves carnally to hell.
Hence Quarrelled ppl. a. Also † Quarrellable a., capable of being called in question.
16[?]. in Peterkin, Rentals Orkney, iii. (1820), 14 (Jam. Suppl.). Quhilk gift is not confirmed … and so his right is most quarrallable.
1673. Ld. Fountainhall, in M. P. Brown, Suppl. Decis. (1826), III. 14. The said act of Parliament appoints these deeds to be quarrellable.
1820. J. Brown, Hist. Brit. Ch., II. App. 7. The Antiburghers still continue upon their quarrelled constitution of Synod.
