different between clash vs squabble

English

Etymology

Onomatopoeic origin. Compare German klatschen (“to clap, smack, slap”) and Klatsch (“a clapping sound; the din resulting from two or more things colliding”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /kla?/, /klæ?/
• (US) IPA^(key): /klæ?/
• Rhymes: -æ?

Noun

clash (countable and uncountable, plural clashes)

1. (onomatopoeia) A loud sound, like the crashing together of metal objects.

   I heard a clash from the kitchen, and rushed in to find the cat had knocked over some pots and pans.

2. (military) A skirmish, a hostile encounter.
3. (sports) a match; a game between two sides.
4. An angry argument
5. Opposition; contradiction; such as between differing or contending interests, views, purposes etc.

   a clash of beliefs

   a personality clash

6. A combination of garments that do not look good together, especially because of conflicting colours.

   She was wearing a horrible clash of red and orange.

7. (hurling) An instance of restarting the game after a "dead ball", where it is dropped between two opposing players, who can fight for possession.
8. (Scotland) Chatter; gossip; idle talk.

Translations

Verb

clash (third-person singular simple present clashes, present participle clashing, simple past and past participle clashed)

1. (intransitive) To make a clashing sound.

   The cymbals clashed.

2. (transitive) To cause to make a clashing sound.
3. To come into violent conflict.

   Fans from opposing teams clashed on the streets after the game.

4. (intransitive) To argue angrily.

   My parents often clashed about minor things, such as the cleaning or shopping rota.

5. (intransitive, in games or sports) To face each other in an important game.
6. (intransitive, of clothes, decor, colours) To fail to look good together; to contrast unattractively; to fail to harmonize.

   You can't wear that shirt! It clashes with your trousers.

   The hotel room was ugly, and the wallpaper clashed with the carpet.

7. (intransitive, of events) To coincide, to happen at the same time, thereby rendering it impossible to attend all.

   I can't come to your wedding because it clashes with a friend's funeral.

   I wanted to take German, but it clashed with art on the timetable.

8. (intransitive, Scotland) To chatter or gossip.

Translations

Related terms

• clashy
• electroclash
• soundclash

Anagrams

• chals

English

Etymology

1600s, probably of North Germanic origin, related to Swedish dialectal skvabbel (“a dispute, quarrel, gossip”), Norwegian dialectal skvabba (“to prattle”), German dialectal schwabbeln (“to babble, prattle”), Swedish dialectal skvappa (“to chide, scold”, literally “make a splash”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?skw?bl/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?skw??bl/
• Rhymes: -?b?l

Noun

squabble (plural squabbles)

1. A minor fight or argument.

   The children got into a squabble about who should ride in the front of the car.

Derived terms

• squabbly

Translations

Verb

squabble (third-person singular simple present squabbles, present participle squabbling, simple past and past participle squabbled)

1. (intransitive) To participate in a minor fight or argument; to quarrel.

   The brothers were always squabbling with each other.

   • I. Watts

     The sense of these propositions is very plain, though logicians might squabble a whole day whether they should rank them under negative or affirmative.

2. (transitive, printing) To disarrange, so that the letters or lines stand awry and require readjustment.

   to squabble type

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:squabble

Derived terms

• squabbler

Translations