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- Dictionarycav·il/ˈkav(ə)l/
verb
- 1. make petty or unnecessary objections: "they caviled at the cost"
noun
- 1. an objection seen as petty or unnecessary.
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CAVIL definition: 1. to make unreasonable complaints, especially about things that are not important 2. an…. Learn more.
The meaning of CAVIL is to raise trivial and frivolous objection. How to use cavil in a sentence. Did you know?
A cavil is a small or petty objection. Cavil is not a word that comes up all that often. You can replace it with the more commonly used word quibble and still have the same meaning. If you cavil over a restaurant bill, you argue about the minute, unimportant details of who owes what — like whether your portion of the bill is $10.00 or $10.17.
2 meanings: 1. to raise annoying petty objections; quibble; carp 2. a captious trifling objection.... Click for more definitions.
CAVIL meaning: 1. to make unreasonable complaints, especially about things that are not important 2. an…. Learn more.
1. to raise trivial and unnecessary objections (usu. fol. by at or about). 2. to oppose by trivial or frivolous objections. n. 3. a trivial and annoying objection. 4. the raising of such objections. cav′il•er; esp. Brit., cav′il•ler, n.
Cavil definition: to raise irritating and trivial objections; find fault with unnecessarily (usually followed by at or about). See examples of CAVIL used in a sentence.
OED's earliest evidence for cavil is from 1570, in the writing of Peter Levens, lexicographer. It is also recorded as a verb from the mid 1500s. cavil is formed within English, by conversion.
cavil (at something) to make unnecessary complaints about something synonym quibble. Several countries cavilled at the cost of the project.
Aug 30, 2024 · cavil (third-person singular simple present cavils, present participle (UK) cavilling or (US) caviling, simple past and past participle (UK) cavilled or (US) caviled) (intransitive) To criticise for petty or frivolous reasons.
