quirk

quirk
/kwerrk/, n.
1. a peculiarity of action, behavior, or personality; mannerism: He is full of strange quirks.
2. a shift, subterfuge, or evasion; quibble.
3. a sudden twist or turn: He lost his money by a quirk of fate.
4. a flourish or showy stroke, as in writing.
5. Archit.
a. an acute angle or channel, as one dividing two parts of a molding or one dividing a flush bead from the adjoining surfaces.
b. an area taken from a larger area, as a room or a plot of ground.
c. an enclosure for this area.
6. Obs. a clever or witty remark; quip.
adj.
7. formed with a quirk or channel, as a molding.
[1540-50; orig. uncert.]
Syn. 1. See eccentricity.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Quirk — may refer to an odd habit or a family name. Odd habit A quirk is an odd habit. Most dictionaries list this word s origin as “unknown”. However, as the surname arises from the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea, and because the island is somewhat… …   Wikipedia

  • Quirk — ist der Familienname folgender Personen: Cory Quirk (* 1986), US amerikanischer Eishockeyspieler Lawrence J. Quirk (* 1923), US amerikanischer Journalist und Filmhistoriker Randolph Quirk (* 1920), britischer Linguist Robert E. Quirk (* 1918), US …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Quirk — (kw[ e]rk), n. [Written also {querk}.] [Cf. W. chwiori to turn briskly, or E. queer.] 1. A sudden turn; a starting from the point or line; hence, an artful evasion or subterfuge; a shift; a quibble; as, the quirks of a pettifogger. Some quirk or …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • quirk — [kwə:k US kwə:rk] n 1.) something strange that happens by chance quirk of ▪ Years later, by a strange quirk of fate , she found herself sitting next to him on a plane. 2.) a strange habit or feature of someone s character, or a strange feature of …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • quirk — quirk; quirk·i·ly; quirk·i·ness; …   English syllables

  • quirk|y — «KWUR kee», adjective, quirk|i|er, quirk|i|est. full of quirks, twists, or shifts: »The writing has a quirky, personal quality that gives it an uncommon flavor (New Yorker) …   Useful english dictionary

  • quirk — ► NOUN 1) a peculiar behavioural habit. 2) a strange chance occurrence: a quirk of fate. 3) a sudden twist, turn, or curve. DERIVATIVES quirkish adjective quirky adjective (quirkier, quirkiest) …   English terms dictionary

  • quirk — [kwʉrk] n. [< ?] 1. a) a sudden twist, turn, or stroke [a quirk of fortune] b) a flourish in writing 2. an evasion, subterfuge, or quibble 3. a peculiarity, peculiar trait, or mannerism 4 …   English World dictionary

  • quirk — I (accident) noun accidental occurrence casualty, chance, circumstance, fate, fortuitous event, fortuity, freak, hap, inadvertence, luck, misadventure, mischance, mishap, nonintentional occurrence, turn, twist, undesigned occurrence, unforeseen… …   Law dictionary

  • Quirk —   [kwəːk], Sir (seit 1985) Randolph, britischer Sprachwissenschaftler, * Lambfell (Isle of Man) 12. 7. 1920; Professor u. a. an den Universitäten Durham (1958 60) und London (seit 1960); v. a. durch Forschungen zur alt und neuenglischen Grammatik …   Universal-Lexikon

  • quirk — [ kwɜrk ] noun count 1. ) a strange or annoying habit 2. ) something strange that happens for reasons that you do not know or understand …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

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