1. (v. i.) To raise captious and frivolous objections; to find fault without good reason.

2. (v. t.) To cavil at.

3. (n.) A captious or frivolous objection.

adverse criticism animadversion argue argufy around the bush aspersion bad notices bad press bandy words beat about beg the question bicker boggle captiousness carp carping catch at straws caviling censoriousness censure chicane choplogic complain complaint contend contest criticism criticize cross swords cut and thrust cut up demur discept dispute dodge equivocate evade evade the issue exception fault-find faultfinding fence find fault flak give and take hairsplitting hassle have it out hedge hit home thrust hostile criticism hypercriticalness hypercriticism imputation jesuitism join issue knock lock horns logomachize moot mystify nagging niggle niggling nit nit-picking nitpick object obloquy obscure overcriticalness palter parry pestering pettifog pettifogging pick holes pick nits pick to pieces plead polemicize polemize prevaricate priggishness pull apart pull to pieces pussyfoot quibble quibbling quiddity quillet quip quirk quodlibet rap reflection reproachfulness shift shuffle shy sidestep slam spar split hairs stricture swipe take exception take sides taking exception tear apart tear to pieces tergiversate thrash out trichoschistism try conclusions wrangle