quibbling
noun
[ ˈkwɪblɪŋ ]
• the action of raising objections about a trivial matter.
• "she was tired of all the quibbling"
quibbling
adjective
• arguing or raising objections about a trivial matter.
• "he came back with a quibbling rebuttal"
quibble
verb
• argue or raise objections about a trivial matter.
• "they are always quibbling about the amount they are prepared to pay"
Similar:
find fault with,
raise trivial objections to,
complain about,
object to,
cavil at,
carp about,
split hairs,
chop logic,
criticize,
query,
fault,
pick,
holes in,
nitpick,
pettifog,
be evasive,
equivocate,
avoid the issue,
prevaricate,
hedge,
fudge,
be ambiguous,
beat about the bush,
Origin:
early 17th century (in the sense ‘play on words, pun’): diminutive of obsolete quib ‘a petty objection’, probably from Latin quibus, dative and ablative plural of qui, quae, quod ‘who, what, which’, frequently used in legal documents and so associated with subtle distinctions or verbal niceties.
