pettifog

verb

pet·​ti·​fog

ˈpetēˌfäg,

-etē-,

-fȯg

pettifogged; pettifogged; pettifogging; pettifogs

intransitive verb

1

: to engage in legal chicanery

2

: to quibble over insignificant details : cavil, bicker

transitive verb

: to plead (as a case) with legal chicanery

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from pettifogger

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Kids Definition

pettifog

verb

pet·​ti·​fog

ˈpet-ē-ˌfȯg,

-ˌfäg

pettifogged; pettifogging

1

: to engage in legal trickery

2

: to argue about unimportant details : bicker

pettifogger noun

pettifoggery

-ˌfȯg-(ə-)rē

-ˌfäg-

noun