cavillare — meaning in English

English meaning

• nitpick verb To correct insignificant mistakes or find fault in unimportant details.
• quibble noun A minor, often pedantic objection or complaint about a small detail.

Senses

cavillare is used for these senses in English:

• cavil (intransitive) To criticise for petty or frivolous reasons.
• nitpick (figurative) To correct insignificant mistakes or find fault in unimportant details.
• quibble (informal, intransitive) To complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner.
• split hairs (idiomatic) To consider or argue about fine details; to worry about minutiae.

nitpick — full definition

1. verb To correct insignificant mistakes or find fault in unimportant details.
2. verb To pick nits (lice eggs) from someone’s hair.
3. verb To pick nits (lice eggs) from someone’s hair. I nitpicked his hair.
4. verb I nitpicked his hair.

quibble — full definition

1. noun A minor, often pedantic objection or complaint about a small detail.
2. verb To argue or complain over trivial points.

Related Italian words