Cavil: meaning, definitions and examples

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cavil

[ ˈkævəl ]

^{Context #1}

critical

Make petty or unnecessary objections.

Synonyms

complain, find fault, nitpick, quibble

Examples of usage

He has been cavilling about the price.
She cavils at every opportunity.

^{Context #2}

argument

A difficult and elaborate argument or explanation.

Synonyms

argument, dispute, objection, quibble

Examples of usage

His cavil was an attempt to confuse the issue.
Their response was full of cavils and obfuscations.

Translations

Translations of the word "cavil" in other languages:

🇵🇹 criticar

🇮🇳 नुक्स निकालना

🇩🇪 kritisieren

🇮🇩 mengkritik

🇺🇦 критикувати

🇵🇱 krytykować

🇯🇵 非難する (hinan suru)

🇫🇷 critiquer

🇪🇸 criticar

🇹🇷 eleştirmek

🇰🇷 비판하다 (bipan hada)

🇸🇦 ينتقد (yantaqidu)

🇨🇿 kritizovat

🇸🇰 kritizovať

🇨🇳 挑剔 (tiāotì)

🇸🇮 kritizirati

🇮🇸 gagnrýna

🇰🇿 сын айту

🇬🇪 კრიტიკა (kritika)

🇦🇿 tənqid etmək

🇲🇽 criticar

Word origin

The word 'cavil' originated from the Latin word 'cavillari', meaning to jest or mock. In English, it first appeared in the 16th century with the meaning of making petty objections or finding fault. Over time, it has evolved to also refer to elaborate arguments or disputes. The word has maintained its essence of nitpicking and objection throughout its history.