Quirk (kw&etilde;rk), 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.
