— caviler; esp. Brit., caviller , n. — cavilingly; esp. Brit., cavillingly , adv.
/kav"euhl/ , v. , caviled, caviling or ( esp. Brit. ) cavilled, cavilling , n.
v.i.
1. to raise irritating and trivial objections; find fault with unnecessarily (usually fol. by at or about ): He finds something to cavil at in everything I say.
v.t.
2. to oppose by inconsequential, frivolous, or sham objections: to cavil each item of a proposed agenda.
n.
3. a trivial and annoying objection.
4. the raising of such objections.
[ 1540-50; cavillari to jeer, scoff, quibble, v. deriv. of cavilla jesting, banter ]
Syn. 1. carp, complain, criticize.