qui
bble
Plural
quibbles
1
a trivial objection or criticism raised over an inconsequential detail
- Our only quibble with the report was the choice of font, not its content.
- She had a quibble about the meeting time, even though everyone else found it convenient.
- His sole quibble with the new policy concerned the color of the logo.
- They voiced a quibble over the seating arrangement but agreed on everything else.
- The team's quibbles focused on punctuation rather than the proposal's substance.
2
an instance of using precise phrasing in a contract, rule, or law to bypass its spirit or purpose
In fiction, a quibble is a plot device where characters take advantage of the precise wording of an agreement or condition to avoid its intended meaning or to escape a commitment. This often involves focusing on minor or literal interpretations to achieve a different outcome than what was originally intended. Quibbles are commonly used in legal agreements or magical conditions, such as prophecies, to create conflict or unexpected twists in the narrative. For instance, characters might use a quibble to fulfill a contract's exact terms while sidestepping its broader intent, creating an opportunity for conflict or deception within the story.
- The lawyer exploited a quibble in the lease that exempted garden sheds from maintenance fees.
- A classic courtroom drama hinges on a quibble over whether a signature must be ink or electronic.
- The film turns on a quibble about whether "the first-born" means the first child or the first male child.
- The king's quibble that "bloodless victory" excludes any battle without casualties leads to the villain's downfall.
- The film's central quibble asks whether "the first-born" means the first child or the first male child.