Also 7 quilit, 7–9 quillit. [? Abbrev. of QUILLITY; cf. quip, quippy and quiddit, quiddity.] A verbal nicety or subtle distinction; a quirk, quibble.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., IV. iii. 288. Some tricks, some quillets, how to cheat the diuell.
1609. Holland, Amm. Marcell., XXX. iv. 386. Linking and entangling causes with insoluble quirkes and quilits.
1674. Marvell, Gen. Councils, Wks. 1875, IV. 117. [Thou] didst ask them concerning a frivolous quillet of a question.
1708. Brit. Apollo, No. 69. 3/2. Like Ignoramus, For Quillets most famous.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., x. Sharp-eyed as a lynx … in the nice sharp quillits of legal discussion.
1890. J. H. Stirling, Gifford Lect., viii. 153. The word is too unequivocal for any quillet to be hung upon it.
Hence † Quillet v. intr., to quibble. Obs.
1653. Holcroft, Procopius, I. xx. 24–5. It is inconvenient for men in hazard for the main, to quillet about the rest.
