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pettifog

verb
/ˈpɛt.iˌfɒɡ/UK

Etymology

Back-formation from pettifogger.

Definitions

  1. To quibble over trivial matters

    To quibble over trivial matters; nitpick.

    • Don't pettifog or we will soon grow weary.
    • [Deacon Mushrat to Pogo:] The Machiavellian barratry of a pettifogging public has maundered into do-nothingism.

  2. To do a petty business as a lawyer, or carry out law business in a petty or tricky way.

    • He is a common barreter for his pleasure, that takes no money, but pettifogs gratis.

The neighborhood

Derived

pettifogulize

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for pettifog. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA