Squib (skw&ibreve;b), n. [OE.
squippen, swippen, to move swiftly, Icel. svipa
to swoop, flash, dart, whip; akin to AS. swipian to whip, and
E. swift, a. See Swift, a.]
1. A little pipe, or hollow cylinder of paper,
filled with powder or combustible matter, to be thrown into the air
while burning, so as to burst there with a crack.
Lampoons, like squibs, may make a present
blaze.
Waller.
The making and selling of fireworks, and squibs
. . . is punishable.
Blackstone.
2. (Mining) A kind of slow match or
safety fuse.
3. A sarcastic speech or publication; a petty
lampoon; a brief, witty essay.
Who copied his squibs, and reëchoed his
jokes.
Goldsmith.
4. A writer of lampoons. [Obs.]
The squibs are those who in the common phrase of
the world are called libelers, lampooners, and
pamphleteers.
Tatler.
5. A paltry fellow. [Obs.]
Spenser.
Squib, v. i. [imp. & p.
p. Squibbed (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Squibbing.] To throw squibs; to utter sarcastic or severe
reflections; to contend in petty dispute; as, to squib a little
debate. [Colloq.]
Squib (skw&ibreve;b), n. [OE.
squippen, swippen, to move swiftly, Icel. svipa
to swoop, flash, dart, whip; akin to AS. swipian to whip, and
E. swift, a. See Swift, a.]
1. A little pipe, or hollow cylinder of paper,
filled with powder or combustible matter, to be thrown into the air
while burning, so as to burst there with a crack.
Lampoons, like squibs, may make a present
blaze.
Waller.
The making and selling of fireworks, and squibs
. . . is punishable.
Blackstone.
2. (Mining) A kind of slow match or
safety fuse.
3. A sarcastic speech or publication; a petty
lampoon; a brief, witty essay.
Who copied his squibs, and reëchoed his
jokes.
Goldsmith.
4. A writer of lampoons. [Obs.]
The squibs are those who in the common phrase of
the world are called libelers, lampooners, and
pamphleteers.
Tatler.
5. A paltry fellow. [Obs.]
Spenser.
Squib, v. i. [imp. & p.
p. Squibbed (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Squibbing.] To throw squibs; to utter sarcastic or severe
reflections; to contend in petty dispute; as, to squib a little
debate. [Colloq.]
