quirk

A small, unusual habit or feature of a person or thing.

• Everyone has a little quirk.
• One of her quirks is naming every houseplant.
• A quirk in the software made the screen flash.

How to use it: a quirk of something (It was a quirk of fate that we met again.)

Similar words: peculiarity, oddity, idiosyncrasy

Common phrases: personal quirk, quirk of fate, quirk of something

A narrow groove or sharp inward corner along a decorative strip on a building.

• A narrow quirk runs along the molding.
• The plasterer cleaned dust from the quirk.
• These quirks separate the curved sections of the cornice.

Similar words: groove, channel

Common phrases: quirk molding, deep quirk, carved quirk

To move a lip or eyebrow slightly and suddenly, often showing doubt or amusement.

• He quirked an eyebrow.
• Her lips quirked at his joke.
• One corner of his mouth quirked upward.

Similar words: twitch

Common phrases: quirk an eyebrow, quirk a lip, quirk upward

To put a narrow groove into a decorative strip or surface.

• The carpenter quirked the molding.
• Use this tool to quirk the wooden edge.
• They quirked each strip before fitting it.

Similar words: groove, channel

Common phrases: quirk a molding, quirk the edge

To change something in a strange or individual way.

• The artist quirked the design with uneven corners.
• She likes to quirk familiar shapes.
• He quirked the usual layout by adding a tiny central room.

Common phrases: quirk a design, quirk the shape