squiblet

English edit

Etymology edit

From squib +‎ -let.

Noun edit

squiblet (plural squiblets)

Diminutive of squib.
- 1872, “Metaphysics in Poetry. Sir John Davies. Author of “Orchestra,” “Nosce Teipsum,” &c.”, in The British Controversialist, and Literary Magazine, London: Houlston and Sons, […], pages 402–403:
  As we have just seen, the very reverse of the statement made by Campbell and endorsed and repeated by Dixon or Doran is the fact—the literary career of John Davies began when he was about twenty-three, by the production of “Orchestra” and the composition of squiblets of fun called “Epigrams.”
- 1874 October, J. H. Wheatley, “The Legend of Ravensholm”, in The Dublin University Magazine. A Literary and Political Journal., volume LXXXIV, number DII, Dublin: George Herbert, […]; London: Hurst & Blackett; Melbourne, Vic.: George Robertson, chapter XXX, page 458, column 2:
  There were a few squibs thrown at position. But there were whole armfuls of personal squiblets. “I’m sure she's a poor piece of goods; her nose is like a bit of bleached putty,” said Miss Flask, a middle-aged young lady, whose own nose was as blue as a bilberry. “I think she must be deaf, she has such almost invisible ears,” chimed in Miss Flapper; […]
- 1881, Bill Nye [i.e., Edgar Wilson Nye], “An Anti-Mormon Town”, in Bill Nye and Boomerang; or, The Tale of a Meek-Eyed Mule, and Some Other Literary Gems, Chicago, Ill.: Belford, Clarke, & Co., page 283:
  They broke them against the brass collar button of the orator, and they ran down in graceful little brooklets and rivulets and squiblets and driblets over his white lawn tie and boiled shi[rt.]
- 1914, J[ohn] L[icinius] E[verett] Peck, O[tto] H[illock] Montzheimer, William J. Miller, “The Press”, in Past and Present of O’Brien and Osceola Counties, Iowa, volume I, Indianapolis, Ind.: B. F. Bowen & Company, Inc., page 288:
  Careful notation of the “haps” and pointers and “squiblets,” small per item, but you read them quickly.
- 1914, Proceedings of the Annual Convention of the Alabama Pharmaceutical Association, volume 33, page 15:
  SQUIBLETS FROM THE ANNISTON CONVENTION
- 1914, The Typographical Journal, volume 45, Indianapolis, Ind.: International Typographical Union, page 254, column 2:
  Since our last bunch of squiblets Roy Jenkins, night foreman of the Free Press, has joined the ranks of the benedicts.
- 1922 June 3, John C[hristian] Freund, editor, Musical America, volume XXXVI, number 6, New York, N.Y., page 21:
  Solfeggio Squiblets
- 1973, Norman Mailer [pseudonym; Nachem Malech Mailer], “Marilyn”, in Marilyn: A Biography, New York, N.Y.: Grosset & Dunlap, Inc., →ISBN, page 89, column 2:
  She is without an important guide, and yet she is still the best and most interesting personality in all these film squiblets, bits, and tidbits, mangled nuggets, rushed productions, factory products, vehicles for other stars, items in omnibus movies, and supporting roles, all her hordes of supporting roles.
- 1977, Frédéric Grendel, translated by Roger Greaves, “The Sex of the Dragoon”, in Beaumarchais: The Man Who Was Figaro, New York, N.Y.: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, →ISBN, page 148:
  Mme Campagnol accused poor Louis xvi of acts that he alone was incapable of committing at the Palace of Versailles, whereas the phoney monk, who was craftier or more inspired than his companion, denounced another kind of impotence in the king: according to Vignoles, Louis xvi was mentally deficient, a puppet ruler at the mercy of his ministers or the Empress of Austria. Beaumarchais, probably with the aid of Rochford, had no trouble in defusing these half-cocked squiblets.
  [original: Si la dame Campagnol accusait le malheureux Louis XVI d’actes qu’il était le seul au château de Versailles à ne pouvoir commettre, le faux moine, plus futé ou mieux inspiré, dénonçait une autre impuissance du roi : à entendre Vignoles, Louis XVI ne gouvernait qu’en apparence, sa débilité mentale le livrant à la merci de ses ministres ou de l’Autrichienne. Beaumarchais n’eut aucun mal, avec le concours de Rochford sans doute, à mettre ces deux coquins hors d’état de nuire.]
- 2005, Gaius Valerius Catullus, translated by Peter Green, The Poems of Catullus: A Bilingual Edition, Berkeley, Calif.: University of California Press, →ISBN, poem 50, lines 1–6, page 97:
  Being at leisure yesterday, we had great fun, Licinius, with impromptu verses (on agreement to be light and witty), each alternately scribbling little squiblets, playing around with every kind of metre, matching jest with jest, vintage with vintage.
  [original: Hesterno, Licini, die otiosi multum lusimus in meis tabellis, ut conuenerat esse delicatos: scribens uersiculos uterque nostrum ludebat numero modo hoc modo illoc, reddens mutua per iocum atque uinum.]