The basis of individuality, quirks are random little facets of non-standard behavior that identify one person as distinct from another. Unsurprisingly then, quirks are also the basis for inconspicuousness. A person is sometimes hard-pressed to remember the third person to the left of the man with three foot spiked red hair burning an American flag and cradling a rubber ducky with a red, white and blue striped tie around its little synthetically-made neck.

Quirk (?), n. [Written also querk.] [Cf W. chwiori to turn briskly, or E. queer.]

1.

A sudden turn; a starting from the point or line; hence, an artful evasion or subterfuge; a shift; a quibble; as, the quirks of a pettifogger.

"Some quirk or . . . evasion."

Spenser.

We ground the justification of our nonconformity on dark subtilties and intricate quirks. Barrow.

2.

A fit or turn; a short paroxysm; a caprice.

[Obs.] "Quirks of joy and grief."

Shak.

3.

A smart retort; a quibble; a shallow conceit.

Some odd quirks and remnants of wit. Shak.

4.

An irregular air; as, light quirks of music.

Pope.

5. Building

A piece of ground taken out of any regular ground plot or floor, so as to make a court, yard, etc.; -- sometimes written quink.

Gwilt.

6. Arch.

A small channel, deeply recessed in proportion to its width, used to insulate and give relief to a convex rounded molding.

Quirk molding, a bead between two quirks.

 

© Webster 1913.

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