quirk

plural quirks

1. An idiosyncrasy; a slight glitch, a mannerism; something unusual about the manner or style of something or someone.

   The car steers cleanly, but the gearshift has a few quirks.

   Synonyms: foible

2. architectureAn acute angle dividing a molding; a groove that runs lengthwise between the upper part of a molding and a soffit.
3. archaicA quibble, evasion, or subterfuge.

   Had you no quirk / To avoid gullage, sir, by such a creature?

   1605 (first performance), Ben[jamin] Jonson, Ben: Ionson His Volpone or The Foxe, [London]: […] [George Eld] for Thomas Thorppe, published 1607, →OCLC, (please specify the Internet Archive page)

   1 more example

   Let us not be too curious in prying into Gods arke, leaſt vve ſmart like the flie fluttering about the candle, for God is a conſuming fire to thoſe that vvill be ſporting themſelves in the quirks of their vvit about his ſacred myſteries.

   1657, Samuel Purchas, “[The Second Part. Being Meditations and Observations, Theologicall, and Morall, upon the Nature of Bees.] The First Century.”, in A Theatre of Politicall Flying-Insects. […], London: […] M. S. for Thomas Parkhurst, […], →OCLC, section II, page 258

present singular third person quirks · participle present quirking · participle past quirked · past quirked

1. ambitransitiveTo (cause to) move with a wry jerk.

   He quirked an eyebrow.

   2 more examples

   The corners of her mouth quirked.

   He quirked his lips playfully.

   2017, Jane Gloriana Villanueva, Snow Falling, page 203

2. transitivearchitectureTo furnish with a quirk or channel.
3. To alter in a unique and unusual way.

   But in the dream the forms are quirked by the peculiar troubles of the dreamer, whereas in myth the problems and solutions shown are directly valid for all mankind.

   1968, Joseph Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, 2nd edition, London: Fontana Press, published 1993, page 19

4. archaicintransitiveTo use verbal tricks or quibbles.

   I have stung her and wrung her, The venom is working;— And if you had hung her With canting and quirking, She could not be deader than she will be soon

   1820, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Oedipus Tyrannus; Or, Swellfoot The Tyrant: A Tragedy in Two Acts

present singular third person quirks · participle present quirking · participle past quirked · past quirked

1. alternativeAlternative form of querk.

1. A surname.

   Assemblymember Bill Quirk (D-Hayward) has introduced a bill to address power outages caused by metallic film balloons when they come into contact with powerlines.

   2018 February 14, “Reducing Power Outages Caused by Metallic Balloons is Focus of Bill Introduced Today”, in California State Assembly Democratic Caucus, archived from the original on 13 Feb 2020