around the bush beat about beg the question bicker boggle carp catch at straws cavil choplogic cut up dodge equivocate evade evade the issue fault-find fence find fault hedge mystify obscure palter parry pettifog pick holes pick nits pick to pieces prevaricate pull apart pull to pieces pussyfoot quibble shift shuffle shy sidestep split hairs take exception tear apart tear to pieces tergiversate