a. Also 6 -ose, 7 querr-. [ad. late L. querulōs-us, f. querulus, querī to complain: cf. QUERELOUS, QUARRELOUS.]
1. Of persons: Complaining, given to complaining, full of complaints, peevish.
In first quot. possibly for querelous QUARRELOUS; a certain confusion between the words is also suggested by some 17th-c. quots., which at least do not imply peevish or whining complaint.
a. 1500[?]. Mankind (Brandl, 1896), 46/200. My body wyth my soull ys euer querulose [rhyme house].
1594. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., III. xi. § 9. A people … by nature hard-hearted, querulous, wrathfull.
a. 1610. Healey, Theophrastus (1636), 63. These are the maners of a querrulous waiward man.
1651. Baxter, Inf. Bapt., 242. I would have no godly man be over querulous, when God hath done so much for us.
1750. Johnson, Rambler, No. 73, ¶ 1. The querulous are seldom received with great ardour of kindness.
1837. Whewell, Hist. Induct. Sc. (1857), II. 149. He was naturally querulous and jaundiced in his views.
1879. Froude, Cæsar, xxvi. 445. His sons and nephews were equally querulous and dissatisfied.
b. Of animals or things: Uttering or producing sounds expressive or suggestive of complaint.
1635. Swan, Spec. M., viii. § 2 (1643), 409. The Lapwing … is a querulous bird.
a. 1643. W. Cartwright, Poems, Corinna’s Tomb, 18. Hither sad Lutes they nightly bring, And gently touch each querulous string.
1699. Pomfret, Pastoral Ess., 174. Ye purling quer’llous Brooks! o’ercharged with grief.
1847. Dickens, Haunted M. (C. D. ed.), 205. One querulous rook, unable to sleep, protested now and then.
2. Of the nature of, characterized by, complaining.
c. 1540. trans. Pol. Verg. Eng. Hist. (Camden), 100. Querulous repetition, as well of late as of almost forgotten faultes.
1642. Howell, For. Trav. (Arb.), 19. French … hath a whining kind of querulous tone.
1714. Spect., No. 618, ¶ 2. His Versification … should be soft, and all his Numbers flowing and querulous.
1783. Johnson, Lett. to Mrs. Thrale, 19 June. I am almost ashamed of this querulous letter.
1848. Dickens, Dombey, xxxiv. She uttered a querulous cry of disappointment and misery.
1874. L. Stephen, Hours in Library (1892), II. vi. 225. The querulous comments of old ladies.
