Adjacent Words

Squib definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SQUIB, n. [This word probably belongs to the family of whip; denoting that which is thrown.]
1. A little pipe or hollow cylinder of paper, filled with powder or combustible matter and sent into the air, burning and bursting with a crack; a cracker.
Lampoons, like squibs, may make a present blaze.
The making and selling of squibs is punishable.
2. A sarcastic speech or little censorious writing published; a petty lampoon.
3. A pretty fellow. [Not in use.]
The squibs, in the common phrase, are called libellers.
SQUIB, v.i. To throw squibs; to utter sarcastic or severe reflections; to contend in petty dispute; as, two members of a society squib a little in debate. [Colloquial.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: firework consisting of a tube filled with powder (as a broken firecracker) that burns with a fizzing noise

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: origin unknown Date: circa 1525 1. a. a short humorous or satiric writing or speech b. a short news item; especially filler 2. a. a small firecracker b. a broken firecracker in which the powder burns with a fizz 3. a small electric or pyrotechnic device used to ignite a charge II. verb (squibbed; squibbing) Date: circa 1580 intransitive verb 1. to speak, write, or publish squibs 2. to fire a squib transitive verb 1. a. to utter in an offhand manner b. to make squibs against ; lampoon 2. to shoot off ; fire 3. to kick (a football) on a kickoff so that it bounces along the ground

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 a small firework burning with a hissing sound and usu. with a final explosion. 2 a short satirical composition, a lampoon. --v. (squibbed, squibbing) 1 tr. US Football kick (the ball) a comparatively short distance on a kick-off; execute (a kick) in this way. 2 archaic a intr. write lampoons. b tr. lampoon. Etymology: 16th c.: orig. unkn.: perh. imit.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Squib Squib, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Squibbed; p. pr. & vb. n. Squibbing.] To throw squibs; to utter sarcatic or severe reflections; to contend in petty dispute; as, to squib a little debate. [Colloq.]

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Squib Squib, n. [OE. squippen, swippen, to move swiftky, Icel. svipa to swoop, flash, dart, whip; akin to AS. swipian to whip, and E. swift, a. See Swift, a.] 1. A little pipe, or hollow cylinder of paper, filled with powder or combustible matter, to be thrown into the air while burning, so as to burst there with a crack. Lampoons, like squibs, may make a present blaze. --Waller. The making and selling of fireworks, and squibs . . . is punishable. --Blackstone. 2. (Mining) A kind of slow match or safety fuse. 3. A sarcastic speech or publication; a petty lampoon; a brief, witty essay. Who copied his squibs, and re["e]choed his jokes. --Goldsmith. 4. A writer of lampoons. [Obs.] The squibs are those who in the common phrase of the world are called libelers, lampooners, and pamphleteers. --Tatler. 5. A paltry fellow. [Obs.] --Spenser.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(squibs) You can describe something such as an event or a performance as a damp squib when it is expected to be interesting, exciting, or impressive, but fails to be any of these things. (BRIT) The all-party meeting was a damp squib. PHRASE: N inflects, usu v-link PHR

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. 1. Cracker. 2. Lampoon, pasquinade, satire. II. v. n. (Colloq.) Make lampoons, throw squibs, make sarcastic remarks, fling.

1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

A small satirical or political temporary jeu d'esprit, which, like the firework of that denomination, sparkles, bounces, stinks, and vanishes.

Moby Thesaurus

Atticism, agile wit, black humor, blasting cap, burlesque, cap, caricature, comedy, detonating powder, detonator, dry wit, electric detonator, esprit, exploder, farce, fulminating mercury, fuse, hatchet job, humor, imitation, irony, lampoon, malicious parody, mercury fulminate, mockery, nimble wit, parody, pasquil, pasquin, pasquinade, pastiche, percussion cap, pleasantry, poison pen, pretty wit, primacord, primer, priming, quick wit, ready wit, salt, sarcasm, satire, savor of wit, slapstick, slapstick humor, subtle wit, takeoff, travesty, visual humor, wicked imitation, wit