What It Sounds Like (BRAB-ul)
If you don't know what this word means, what does its sound and shape suggest to you? Me? I imagine a thick, thorny hedge that is nearly impenetrable:
What It Actually Means
As a verb (which doesn't take an object), brabble means to argue uselessly, to wrangle stubbornly about trifles, to nit pick. As a noun, it suggests noisy quarreling or chatter. And yes! A brabbler is the annoying person who picks those nits!
Where It Comes From
Brabble, which goes back to the late 15th centurey, finds its ancestor in the Dutch word, brabbelen, which means to quarrel or jabber.
Now Go Out There And USE it!
