Dictionary.com

Word of the Day Archive
Monday May 12, 2008

cavil \KAV-uhl\, intransitive verb:
1. To raise trivial or frivolous objections; to find fault without good reason.

transitive verb:
1. To raise trivial objections to.

noun:
1. A trivial or frivolous objection.

Insiders with their own strong views, after all, tend to cavil about competing ideas and stories they consider less than comprehensive.
-- Laurence I. Barrett, "Dog-Bites-Dog", Time, October 30, 1989

It may seem churlish, amid the selection of so much glory, to cavil at a single omission, but I do think a great opportunity has been missed.
-- Tom Rosenthal, "Rome sweet Rome", New Statesman, February 5, 2001

He was determined not to be diverted from his main pursuit by cavils or trifles.
-- William Safire, Scandalmonger

Cavil comes from Latin cavillari, "to jeer, to quibble," from cavilla, "scoffing."

Dictionary.com Entry and Pronunciation for cavil

 

Share This:  Share This: del.icio.usShare This: digg.comShare This: FacebookShare This: furl.netShare This: www.netscape.comShare This: myweb2.search.yahoo.comShare This: www.stumbleupon.comShare This: www.google.comShare This: www.technorati.comShare This: blinklist.comShare This: newsvine.comShare This: ma.gnolia.comShare This: reddit.comShare This: favorites.live.comShare This: tailrank.com