1. (v. i.) To do a petty business as a lawyer; also, to do law business in a petty or tricky way.

2. (v. t.) To advocate like a pettifogger; to argue trickily; as, to pettifog a claim.

argue argufy bandy words bicker carp catch at straws cavil choplogic contend contest cross swords cut and thrust cut up discept dispute fault-find find fault give and take hassle have it out join issue lock horns logomachize moot nitpick pick holes pick to pieces plead polemicize polemize pull apart pull to pieces quibble spar take exception take sides tear apart tear to pieces thrash out try conclusions wrangle