quarrel — OET

quarrel

noun

there was a quarrel about how much my father was paid:

argument, row, fight, disagreement, difference of opinion, dissension, falling-out;

dispute, disputation, contention, squabble, contretemps, clash, altercation, exchange, brawl, tussle, disturbance, conflict, affray, brouhaha, commotion, uproar, tumult, war of words, shouting match, fracas, feud;

wrangle, tangle, misunderstanding;

Irish, , North American, , & Australian donnybrook;

informal tiff, set-to, shindig, shindy, stand-up, run-in, spat, scrap, dust-up, ruction;

British, informal barney, bunfight, ding-dong, bust-up, ruck, slanging match;

British, informal , Soccer afters;

Scottish, informal rammy;

North American, informal hassle;

Australian, informal yike;

archaic broil, miff;

French, archaic tracasserie(s).

▷antonyms reconciliation, agreement.

verb

I should be sorry to quarrel over it:

argue, have a row/fight, row, fight, disagree, fail to agree, differ, be at odds, have a misunderstanding, be at variance, fall out;

dispute, bicker, squabble, brawl, chop logic;

wrangle, spar, bandy words, cross swords, lock horns, be at each other's throats, be at loggerheads;

informal scrap, argufy, spat;

archaic altercate.

□ quarrel with

it is difficult to quarrel with the verdict:

find fault with, fault, criticize, argue with/against, object to, be hostile to, censure, condemn, be against, be anti, oppose, be in opposition to, take exception to, attack, take issue with, find lacking, pick holes in, impugn, contradict, dispute, rebut, complain about, cavil at, carp at;

informal knock;

formal gainsay;

rare controvert.

▷antonyms agree with.

choose the right word

quarrel, argue, wrangle, dispute, bicker

■ Quarrel is used of people having an angry argument (he married her for her money, so now they're always quarrelling). One may also dispassionately quarrel with something in the sense of disagreeing with or objecting to it (there was nothing in this document with which he could quarrel).

■ Arguing involves two people staunchly, possibly also acrimoniously, defending two different and incompatible points of view (he and Martin used to argue for hours about the paranormal).

■ Wrangle suggests a long, complex, and sometimes intense debate or argument, often a legal or political one (the party is facing internal wrangling and a cash crisis | after considerable wrangling a compromise was reached).

■ People who disputeare expected to show more reasoned argument than if they are merely quarrelling.Dispute is mainly used of denying or arguing against a specified view, and the matter of contention is typically a direct object (people who dispute the official interpretation of their rights).

■ Bicker represents an argument as childish, on account of either the logic employed or the triviality of the issue disputed (those who had fought together for the overthrow of Charles I now bickered amongst themselves | there was no point in bickering over trifles).

quarrel (1) Oxford Dictionary of English