Word of the Day
: November 26, 2018quirk
playWhat It Means
quirk in Context
"If you quirked your eyebrow at The Shape of Water's merman, your jaw probably dropped clean off when you realized that some viewers were, well, thirsty for the marine man." — Melissa Broder and Samantha Hunt, Elle, 14 Sept. 2018
"The video was of a laughing baby, and I felt the corners of my mouth quirking up. After, the computer asked me how I'd felt while watching. 'Happy,' I clicked." — Elizabeth Svoboda, MIT Technology Review, 16 Aug. 2018
Did You Know?
Did you expect quirk to be a noun meaning "a peculiarity of action or behavior"? If so, you're probably not alone; the "peculiarity" sense of the noun quirk is commonly known and has been a part of our language since the 17th century. But quirk has long worn other hats in English, too. The sense meaning "a curve, turn, or twist" has named everything from curving pen marks on paper (i.e., flourishes) to witty turns of phrase to the vagaries or twists of fate. In contemporary English, the verb quirk can be used in referring to facial expressions, especially those that involve crooked smiles or furrowed eyebrows.
Test Your Vocabulary with M-W Quizzes
Test Your Vocabulary
What 4-letter word begins with "k" and can refer to a pain in the neck or back or a "quirk"?
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