pettifog

P3E1T1T1I1F4O1G2
UK/ˈpɛt.iˌfɒɡ/

verb

To quibble over trivial matters; nitpick.

“Don't pettifog or we will soon grow weary.”

Similar
squabblequibblenigglebickerbrabble
Scrabble 14
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Meanings

verbpettifog (third-person singular simple present pettifogs, present participle pettifogging, simple past and past participle pettifogged)

present singular third person pettifogs · participle present pettifogging · participle past pettifogged · past pettifogged

  1. intransitiveTo quibble over trivial matters; nitpick.

    Don't pettifog or we will soon grow weary.

    1 more example

    [Deacon Mushrat to Pogo:] The Machiavellian barratry of a pettifogging public has maundered into do-nothingism.

    1959 April 24, Walt Kelly, Pogo, comic strip, →ISBN, page 35
  2. intransitiveTo do a petty business as a lawyer, or carry out law business in a petty or tricky way.

    He is a common barreter for his pleasure, that takes no money, but pettifogs gratis.

    c. 1840, “Samuel Butler”, in Lives of Eminent and Illustrious Englishmen

Synonyms & antonyms

Similar
squabble

verbargue over petty things

Similar
quibblenigglebickersquabblebrabble
Broader
arguecontenddebate
Also see
bickerbrabblecavilnigglequibblespatsquabbletiffwrangle

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

Back-formation from pettifogger.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian but see чопля, педантичен
  • but see чопля (čoplja)to quibble
  • педантичен (pedantičen)to quibble
  • дребнав (drebnav)to quibble
French avocasser
  • avocasserto quibble
Polish kłócić się o drobiazgi
  • kłócić się o drobiazgito quibble
Cite this entry
APA

pettifog. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pettifog

MLA

“pettifog.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pettifog. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pettifog,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pettifog.

Source: pettifog on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.