Definition of 'cavil'

Word Frequency

cavil

(kævəl )

Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense cavils , present participle cavilling , past tense, past participle cavilled regional note: in AM, use caviling, caviled

verb [no passive]

If you say that someone cavils at something, you mean that they make criticisms of it that you think are unimportant or unnecessary.

[formal, disapproval]

Let us not cavil too much. [VERB]

I don't think this is the time to cavil at the wording of the report. [VERB + at]

Synonyms: find fault, object, complain, beef [slang] More Synonyms of cavil

Cavil is also a noun.

These cavils aside, most of the essays are very good indeed.

Word Frequency

cavil in British

(ˈkævɪl )

verb -ils, -illing, -illed or US -ils, -iling or -iled

1. (intr; foll by at or about)

to raise annoying petty objections; quibble; carp

noun

a captious trifling objection

Derived forms

caviller (ˈcaviller) or caviler (ˈcaviler)

noun

cavilling (ˈcavilling)

adjective

Word origin of 'cavil'

C16: from Old French caviller, from Latin cavillārī to jeer, from cavilla raillery

Word Frequency

cavil in American

(ˈkævəl ; kavˈəl)

verb intransitiveWord forms: ˈcaviled or ˈcavilled, ˈcaviling or ˈcavilling

to object when there is little reason to do so; resort to trivial faultfinding; carp; quibble (at or about)

noun

a trivial objection; quibble

SIMILAR WORDS: ˈcritical

Derived forms

caviler (ˈcaviler)

noun or ˈcaviller

Word origin of 'cavil'

OFr caviller < L cavillari < cavilla, jeering < *calvilla < calvari, to deceive; akin to calumnia, calumny

Example sentences containing 'cavil'

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…

It had made her radiant, glorifying her substance without cavil or complaint. Clive Barker SACRAMENT (2001)

Why that should be so was a mystery, but it was pointless to cavil. Stephanie Laurens ALL ABOUT LOVE (2001)

Trends of 'cavil'

Used Rarely. cavil is in the lower 50% of commonly used words in the Collins dictionary

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Nearby words of 'cavil'

Source

Definition of cavil from the Collins English Dictionary

Square brackets [ ]

Square brackets are used, usually in books and articles, when supplying words that make a quotation clearer or that comment on it, although they were not originally said or written. Mr Runcie conclu...