cavil

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To criticise for petty or frivolous reasons.

   'Tis love you cavil at: I am not Love.

2. 2
   noun

   A petty or trivial objection or criticism.

   It is not worth while to spend your time in arguing against a cavil, but make him feel he is committing a sin to plead it, and thus enlist his conscience on your side.

From Old French caviller (“mock, jest, rail”), from Latin cavillor (“jeer, mock, satirise, reason captiously”), from cavilla (“jeering, raillery, scoffing”); cognate with Italian cavillare, Portuguese cavillar, and Spanish cavilar; nominal usage developed within English from the original verbal usage.

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