| 释义 |
cav·il
I. \ˈkavəl, Brit often -vil\ verb
(caviled or cavilled ; caviled or cavilled ; caviling or cavilling \-v(ə)liŋ, -vil-\ ; cavils)
Etymology: Latin cavillari to jest, mock, cavil, from cavilla raillery, sophistry; probably akin to Latin calvi to deceive — more at calumny
intransitive verb
: to raise captious and frivolous objection : object or criticize adversely for trivial reasons — usually used with at, about, or with
< mere captiousness … that cavils at a whetstone because it's not a sword blade — J.L.Lowes >
transitive verb
: to raise picayune objections to : cavil at
< cavil the conditions of the agreement >
II. noun
(-s)
1. : a captious frivolous picayune objection : quibble
< accept without cavil whatever he was told — Samuel Butler †1902 >
2. : tendency to cavil : susceptibility to cavils
< the general standard of the judicature is above reproach or cavil — Ernest Barker > |