Now rare. [f. prec. sb.]
1. trans. To assail with a quip or quips.
1584. Lyly, Alex. & Camp., III. ii. Didst thou not finde I did quip thee?
1625. W. B., True School War, 56. Hee spake these expresse words to some that quipped him for this.
a. 1670. Hacket, Cent. Serm. (1675), 791. The Heathen quipt them that they had no Images nor Altars.
1841. D’Israeli, Amen. Lit. (1859), I. 286. If any one quipped the profession of another.
2. intr. To use a quip or quips; to be wittily sarcastic. Const. at.
1579. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 206. Ye malitious haue more minde to quip, then might to cut.
1603. Florio, Montaigne, II. ix. (1897), III. 129. Tacitus doth pleasantly quip and jest at the men of war of our ancient Gaules.
1633. Prynne, 1st Pt. Histrio-m., VIII. vi. 796. If you will learne … to deride, quippe, scorne,… you neede not goe to any other schooles.
Hence Quipper, one who quips.
1589. Nashe, Introd. Greene’s Menaphon (Arb.), 14. Here, peraduenture, some desperate quipper will canuaze my proposed comparison.
a. 1603. in Nichols, Progr., III. 143. What meane you, a starmonger, the quipper of the firmament.
1611. Cotgr., Lardonneur, a quipper, girder, flowter.
