cavillingn.
/ˈkavɪlɪŋ/ The action of the verb to cavil v.; captious objection or frivolous fault-finding.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > statement > objection > [noun] > petty or unfair
cavillation?1553
cavilling1565
cavil1597
the mind > mental capacity > understanding > reason, faculty of reasoning > misleading argument, sophistry > excessive subtlety, hair-splitting > frivolous, captious objection > [noun] > raising of
cavillation?1553
cavilling1565
cavil1597
chicaning1691
1565–78 T. Cooper Thesaurus Captio in verbis, captious cavilling in wordes.
1656 Disc. Auxiliary Beauty 66 These..fall to cavillings and menacings.
1841 T. Carlyle On Heroes vi. 377 Bottomless cavillings and questionings about written laws.
1857 H. T. Buckle Hist. Civilisation Eng. I. 751 It is not such petty cavilling which can destroy an European reputation.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1889; most recently modified version published online September 2018).
cavillingadj.
That cavils, captious; also, fraudulent, sophistical (obsolete).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > cheating, fraud > [adjective]
fakenOE
fraudulent1412
fraudfulc1475
impostorous?1549
imposterous1562
cavillinga1576
impostural1588
cogged1589
defraudfulc1592
imposturious?a1600
imposturizing1603
imposturous1608
impostured1619
circumventive1630
impostrate1632
imposterious1633
impostrous1635
charlatanical1663
quackish1670
charlatan1671
stellionated1672
shammisha1734
shim-sham1797
humbug1811
charlatanic1843
Peter Funk1845
charlatanish1846
jazzy1934
run-out1938
jivey1972
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > criticism > [adjective] > captiously
captiousc1380
pick-fault1544
fastidious?1555
sharp-nosed1561
cavillous?1571
carpacious1574
cavillinga1576
find-fault1576
Zoilous1577
carpinga1586
exceptious1602
quarrellous1610
exceptive1623
Zoilitical1665
nibbling1691
pickthanking1830
Zoilean1846
snippy1848
nitpicking1948
nitpicky1962
the mind > mental capacity > understanding > reason, faculty of reasoning > misleading argument, sophistry > excessive subtlety, hair-splitting > frivolous, captious objection > [adjective]
captious1447
hafting1519
brabbling1549
cavillous?1571
cavillinga1576
caffling1591
cavilsome1611
cavillatory1641
a1576 Lady Abergavenny Praiers in T. Bentley et al. Monument of Matrones (1582) ii. 204 The caueling aduersarie, the enimie of mankind.
1578 J. Banister Hist. Man iv. f. 62v To shunne..the cauelyng tauntes of straungers.
1633 T. Stafford Pacata Hibernia ii. iii. 146 They did use to buy old caveling titles.
1691 J. Hartcliffe Treat. Virtues 239 An Ignorant Grammarian or a Cavelling Logician.
1692 R. Bentley Confut. Atheism from Struct. & Origin Humane Bodies: Pt. II 10 Now the most cavilling Atheist must allow, that [etc.].
1835 N. P. Willis Pencillings II. xxxix. 18 The most cavilling mind must applaud their devoted sense of duty.
Derivatives
cavillingly adv. in a cavilling manner.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > criticism > [adverb] > captiously
captiously1539
cavillously1561
cavillingly1570
carpingly1577
the mind > mental capacity > understanding > reason, faculty of reasoning > misleading argument, sophistry > excessive subtlety, hair-splitting > frivolous, captious objection > [adverb]
captiously1539
cavillously1561
cavillingly1570
1570 J. Foxe Actes & Monumentes (rev. ed.) I. 75/1 Nero and Domitian..cauillingly obiected against our doctrine.
1642 J. Eaton Honey-combe Free Justific. 273 As they likewise cavillingly object.
cavillingness n. the disposition to cavil.
ΚΠ
1818 H. J. Todd Johnson's Dict. Eng. Lang. Cavillingness.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1889; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1565adj.1570