adverse criticism animadversion aspersion bad notices captiousness carping cavil caviling censoriousness criticism exception faultfinding flak hairsplitting hit home thrust hostile criticism hypercriticalness hypercriticism imputation knock nagging niggle niggling nit nit-picking obloquy overcriticalness pestering pettifogging priggishness quibble quibbling rap reflection reproachfulness slam stricture swipe taking exception trichoschistism