squib

Guardiola's 100th Champions League match as City boss was a damp squib, in stark contrast to so many of the previous 99, which includes 62 wins and the club's maiden European crown in 2023.

From Barron's ● Nov. 25, 2025

But the much-anticipated showdown between two Heisman-candidate quarterbacks and national championship-quality teams had been a damp squib over the first two quarters.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2025

Kicking under the new format feels more like “shanking” a kickoff than doing a squib kick, as Dicker put it.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2024

She described the Edinburgh Reforms as a "damp squib", due to "the lack of progress or economic impact."

From BBC ● Dec. 8, 2023

There was little Clarice in a corner with some boy off the estate, she was smiling happily, squealing with delight as a squib spluttered at her feet.

From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier

So after some damp squibs in recent years, are we set for an unusually exciting end to the campaign at the bottom of the table?

From BBC ● Feb. 7, 2026

Watching “The Challenge” contenders pretend to dramatically expire for the cameras when ink squibs explode on their chests dilutes the tragedy in that.

From Salon ● Dec. 8, 2023

More the whiff of damp squibs than cordite.

From The Guardian ● Jul. 1, 2020

However, digging today into The Seattle Times’ online archive, I find that social squibs often help reveal the story of a vintage edifice.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 5, 2019

But there was also a generous distribution of squibs, crackers, backarappers, sparklers, torches, dwarf-candles, elf-fountains, goblin-barkers and thunder-claps.

From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien

Harvey jammed Bryson Stott, who squibbed a grounder to the left side.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 14, 2022

Upton grounded into a fielder’s choice for the second out, and Pujols, the slow-footed slugger, squibbed a grounder to the right of the mound.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2018

Manny Machado led off and squibbed the first pitch back to Osuna for an easy ground out.

From New York Times ● Oct. 4, 2016

Pinch hitter Jorge Orta squibbed a grounder towards first; Cardinals first baseman Jack Clark charged in and tossed the ball to reliever Todd Worrell, who ran to cover the bag.

From Time ● Oct. 14, 2014

Endeavouring, therefore, to hum a tune, I strolled to the window and looked out; while the imperturbable Corny, opening the opposite sash, squibbed off both pistols previous to replacing them in the box.

From Jack Hinton The Guardsman by Charles James Lever

But in the aftermath, many questioned why Buffalo sent its kickoff into the end zone rather than squibbing it to force a return and take critical seconds off the clock.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 22, 2026

After the Sun Devils nearly broke another return, USC opted to go with its other kicking option, Michael Brown, who resolved to simply squibbing kickoffs.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 9, 2019

Earlier this week, special teams coach John Baxter noted that USC struggled with squibbing kicks and thus would avoid that strategy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 9, 2019

The brawny Fielder had the only hit between them in the ninth, squibbing an infield single up the middle.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 5, 2011

While some of the soldiers were endeavoring to clear their muskets, and squibbing off priming, Sullivan despatched an officer to apprise the commander-in-chief of the condition of their arms.

From The Student's Life of Washington; Condensed from the Larger Work of Washington Irving For Young Persons and for the Use of Schools by Washington Irving