— pettifogger , n. — pettifoggery , n.
/pet"ee fog', -fawg'/ , v.i. , pettifogged, pettifogging .
1. to bicker or quibble over trifles or unimportant matters.
2. to carry on a petty, shifty, or unethical law business.
3. to practice chicanery of any sort.
[ 1605-15; back formation from pettifogger, equiv. to PETTY + fogger voger or MD voeger one who arranges things; akin to OE gefog a joining ]