Obs. Also 6 -be, 7 -bbe. [App. ad. (orig. in pl.) L. quibus, dat. or abl. pl. of quī ‘who, which,’ as a word of frequent occurrence in legal documents and hence associated with the ‘quirks and quillets’ of the law.
For other allusive uses of the L. word, cf. F. quibus money, cash; Du. kwibus fool, weathercock.]
1. = QUIBBLE sb. 2.
a. 1500. Image Hypocr., in Skelton’s Wks. (1843), II. 427. His tottes and quottes Be full of blottes: With quibes and quaryes Of inventataries.
1592. Greene, Upst. Courtier, in Harl. Misc. (Malh.), II. 232. These lawiers haue … such quibs and quiddits, that beggering their clients they purchase to themselues whole lordships.
1608. Hieron, Defence, II. 221. M. H. answereth by an unsound reason, two quibbes & two authors onely produced.
2. A gibe, gird, QUIP. rare–1.
1656. Bradford, Plymouth Plant., 151. Mr. Weston … gave them this quib (behind their baks) … That though they were but yonge justices, yet they wear good beggers.
[1736. in Ainsworth; hence in Johnson and later dicts.]
