| 释义 |
Definition of pettifog in English: pettifogverbpettifogged, pettifogging, pettifogs ˈpɛtɪfɒɡ [no object]archaic 1Quibble about petty points. without lifetime careers to preserve, congressmen would be free to debate rather than pettifog Synonyms minor criticism, trivial objection, trivial complaint, adverse comment, protest, query, argument, exception, moan, grumble, grouse, cavil find fault with, raise trivial objections to, complain about, object to, cavil at, carp about - 1.1 Practise legal deception or trickery.
he will rather pettifog and turn common barrator than be out of employment Example sentencesExamples - He probably thought the auditors were pettifogging about practices ‘everyone does’ and that different auditors wouldn't be so picky.
- They have obfuscated, delayed, lied, backtracked, pettifogged, and cancelled all sorts of commitments under the informal and formal rubrics of the Oslo process.
Derivatives noun ˈpɛtɪˌfɒɡəri archaic Seeing through Julia's pettifoggery, the judge overruled her frivolous objection. Example sentencesExamples - The theological pettifoggery of their literalistic religion has to be read to be believed.
- Pettifoggery has come to mean legal chicanery, and last week a Senate subcommittee consultant used the word to describe a weakness of U.S. negotiators in dealing with Communist powers.
Origin Early 17th century: back-formation from pettifogger. Definition of pettifog in US English: pettifogverb [no object]archaic 1Quibble about petty points. without lifetime careers to preserve, congressmen would be free to debate rather than pettifog Synonyms minor criticism, trivial objection, trivial complaint, adverse comment, protest, query, argument, exception, moan, grumble, grouse, cavil find fault with, raise trivial objections to, complain about, object to, cavil at, carp about - 1.1 Practice legal deception or trickery.
he will rather pettifog and turn common barrator than be out of employment Example sentencesExamples - He probably thought the auditors were pettifogging about practices ‘everyone does’ and that different auditors wouldn't be so picky.
- They have obfuscated, delayed, lied, backtracked, pettifogged, and cancelled all sorts of commitments under the informal and formal rubrics of the Oslo process.
Origin Early 17th century: back-formation from pettifogger. |