cavil
[ kav-uhl ]
verb (used without object),cav·iled, cav·il·ing or (especially British) cav·illed, cav·il·ling.
to raise irritating and trivial objections; find fault with unnecessarily (usually followed by at or about): He finds something to cavil at in everything I say.
verb (used with object),cav·iled, cav·il·ing or (especially British) cav·illed, cav·il·ling.
to oppose by inconsequential, frivolous, or sham objections: to cavil each item of a proposed agenda.
noun
a trivial and annoying objection.
the raising of such objections.
Origin of cavil
1First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin cavillārī “to jeer, scoff, quibble,” derivative of cavilla “jesting, banter,” perhaps derivative of cav(us) “hollow”; see cave
Other words for cavil
Other words from cavil
- cav·il·er; especially British, cav·il·ler, noun
- cav·il·ing·ly; especially British, cav·il·ling·ly, adverb
- outcavil, verb (used with object), out·cav·iled, out·cav·il·ing or (especially British) out·cav·illed, out·cav·il·ling.
- un·cav·il·ing, adjective
- un·cav·il·ling, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for cavil
cavil
/ (ˈkævɪl) /
verb-ils, -illing or -illed or US -ils, -iling or -iled
(intr; foll by at or about) to raise annoying petty objections; quibble; carp
noun
a captious trifling objection
Origin of cavil
1C16: from Old French caviller, from Latin cavillārī to jeer, from cavilla raillery
Derived forms of cavil
- caviller, noun
- cavilling, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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