Emily Dickinson Lexicon

QUAR'REL, n.¹ [W. cweryl; Fr. querelle; L. and It. querela; Sp. querella or queja; Arm. qarell; L. queror, to complain, that is, to cry out with a loud voice. Hence we see the primary sense is the same as brawl. The L. queror coincides in elements with the Ir. gairim, to call, to bawl, to shout, and gearan, a complaint; Sax. ceorian, to complain or murmur; G. girren and kirren; D. kirren and korren; Dan. kerrer. The latter signifies to complain, to expostulate, and kerrer sig efter, to care, or take heed of, a sense which would unite the word with the L. curo, cura; and in Saxon, cearig signifies complaining, and careful, solicitous; Heb. Ch. Syr. and Ar. קרא. Class Gr, No. 49, and see No. 1, 2, 14, 15, 19, 23.]

1. A brawl; a petty fight or scuffle; from its noise and uproar. – Shak.
2. A dispute; a contest. On open seas their quarrels they debate. – Dryden.
3. A breach of friendship or concord; open variance between parties. – Hammond.
4. Cause of dispute. The king's quarrel is honorable. – Shak.
5. Something that gives a right to mischief, reprisal or action. He thought he had a good quarrel to attack him. [Not used.] – Holingshead.
6. Objection; ill will, or reason to complain; ground of objection or dispute. Herodias had a quarrel against him. – Mark vi.
7. Something peevish, malicious, or disposed to make trouble. [Not used.] – Shak.