Literary notes about quirky (AI summary)
Writers use "quirky" to infuse a narrative with a sense of eccentric charm and unexpected nuance. It frequently describes a character’s subtle mannerisms or smile—hinting at an inner playfulness—even when the context is serious or dark [1, 2, 3]. At times, it paints physical or cultural settings with unexpected qualities, such as odd lanes or uniquely governed fantasy realms [4, 5]. In some instances, the word also conveys a technical irregularity or distinctive style, whether referring to computer behavior or the peculiarities of human conduct [6, 7]. Overall, "quirky" enriches both character portrayal and environmental description, adding layers of idiosyncrasy and wit to the literature [8, 9].
- The quirky smile was twitching his lips, and the look he turned toward Marie's back was full of twinkle.
— from Cabin Fever by B. M. Bower - But the familiar quirky smile played about his lately solemn countenance.
— from Dig Here! by Gladys Allen - Miss Hampton comes back at him with that quirky smile of hers.
— from Torchy, Private Sec. by Sewell Ford - Its quirky lanes and closes were as black as the pit.
— from The Lost Pibroch, and other Sheiling Stories by Neil Munro - Wretched Daylight is another LARP, rival vampire clans and vampire hunters, and it's got its own quirky rules.
— from Little Brother by Cory Doctorow - Computers and related machinery can sometimes be quirky about their surroundings.
— from The Silicon Jungle by David H. Rothman - UNIX commands are just as quirky as MS-DOS, VMS, RSX, VM, or any other operating system that uses a command language.
— from E-mail 101 by John E. Goodwin - And those quirky, idle noises this pen makes are delightful, and would break your easy fluency with wit.
— from Certain Personal Matters by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells - It is more satirical and less anthropological, and is largely a product of the author's literate and quirky imagination.
— from The Jargon File, Version 2.9.10, 01 Jul 1992