Squib (?), n. [OE. squippen, swippen, to move swiftky, 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 reechoed 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.
© Webster 1913.
Squib, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Squibbed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Squibbing.]
To throw squibs; to utter sarcatic or severe reflections; to contend in petty dispute; as, to squib a little debate.
[Colloq.]
© Webster 1913.