Caviling

Caviling
Cavil Cav"il (k[a^]v"[i^]l), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Caviled} or {Cavilled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Caviling} or {Cavilling}.] [L. cavillari to practice jesting, to censure, fr. cavilla bantering jests, sophistry: cf. OF. caviller.] To raise captious and frivolous objections; to find fault without good reason. [1913 Webster]

You do not well in obstinacy To cavil in the course of this contract. --Shak. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Caviling — Cav il*ing, a. Disposed to cavil; finding fault without good reason. See {Captious}. [1913 Webster] His depreciatory and caviling criticism. Lewis. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • caviling — index contentious, critical (faultfinding), criticism, disaccord, disapprobation, dissension, dissent ( …   Law dictionary

  • caviling — adj captious, faultfinding, censorious, carping, *critical, hypercritical Analogous words: exacting, demanding (see DEMAND): *contrary, perverse: objecting, protesting, expostulating, kicking (see OBJECT) Contrasted words: accommodating, obliging …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • caviling — adjective or cavilling : disposed to cavil : inclined to find fault and raise picayune ill grounded objections caviling pettifoggers and quibbling pleaders Edmund Burke Synonyms: see critical …   Useful english dictionary

  • caviling — noun cavilation …   Wiktionary

  • caviling — Synonyms and related words: captious, carping, censorious, contrary, critic, demanding, exacting, faultfinding, finicky, fussy, hairsplitting, hypercritical, mean, niggling, nitpicking, overcritical, perverse, petty, picky, small …   Moby Thesaurus

  • caviling — cav·il || kævɪl v. complain, criticize, find fault …   English contemporary dictionary

  • Aucupia verborum sunt judice indigna — Caviling is unworthy of a judge s dignity …   Ballentine's law dictionary

  • Captious — Cap tious, a. [F. captieux, L. captiosus. See {Caption}.] 1. Apt to catch at faults; disposed to find fault or to cavil; eager to object; difficult to please. [1913 Webster] A captious and suspicious age. Stillingfleet. [1913 Webster] I am… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • critical — 1 Critical, hypercritical, faultfinding, captious, caviling, carping, censorious are comparable when they mean exhibiting the spirit of one who detects and points out faults or defects. Critical, when applied to persons who judge and to their… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

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