'Cavil' definitions:
Definition of 'cavil'
(from WordNet)
Definition of 'Cavil'
From: GCIDE
- Cavil \Cav"il\ (k[a^]v"[i^]l), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Caviled or Cavilled; p. pr. & vb. n. Caviling or Cavilling.] [L. cavillari to practice jesting, to censure, fr. cavilla bantering jests, sophistry: cf. OF. caviller.] To raise captious and frivolous objections; to find fault without good reason. [1913 Webster]
- You do not well in obstinacy To cavil in the course of this contract. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Cavil'
From: GCIDE
- Cavil \Cav"il\, v. t. To cavil at. [Obs.] --Milton. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Cavil'
From: GCIDE
- Cavil \Cav"il\, n. A captious or frivolous objection. [1913 Webster]
- All the cavils of prejudice and unbelief. --Shak. [1913 Webster] Caviler
Definition of 'cavil'
From: GCIDE
- Kevel \Kev"el\, n. [Prov. E. kevil, cavel, rod, pole, a large hammer, horse's bit; cf. Icel. kefli cylinder, a stick, mangle, and Dan. kievle a roller.]
- 1. (Naut.) A strong cleat to which large ropes are belayed. [1913 Webster]
- 2. A stone mason's hammer. [Written also cavil.] [1913 Webster]
- Kevel head (Naut.), a projecting end of a timber, used as a kevel. Kevel
Synonyms of 'cavil'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- adverse criticism,
- animadversion,
- argue,
- argufy,
- around the bush,
- aspersion,
- bad notices,
- bad press,
- bandy words,
- beat about,
- beg the question,
- bicker,
- boggle,
- captiousness,
- carp,
- carping,
- catch at straws,
- caviling,
- censoriousness,
- censure,
- chicane,
- choplogic,
- complain,
- complaint,
- contend,
- contest,
- criticism,
- criticize,
- cross swords,
- cut and thrust,
- cut up,
- demur,
- discept,
- dispute,
- dodge,
- equivocate,
- evade,
- evade the issue,
- exception,
- fault-find,
- faultfinding,
- fence,
- find fault,
- flak,
- give and take,
- hairsplitting,
- hassle,
- have it out,
- hedge,
- hit,
- home thrust,
- hostile criticism,
- hypercriticalness,
- hypercriticism,
- imputation,
- jesuitism,
- join issue,
- knock,
- lock horns,
- logomachize,
- moot,
- mystify,
- nagging,
- niggle,
- niggling,
- nit,
- nit-picking,
- nitpick,
- object,
- obloquy,
- obscure,
- overcriticalness,
- palter,
- parry,
- pestering,
- pettifog,
- pettifogging,
- pick holes,
- pick nits,
- pick to pieces,
- plead,
- polemicize,
- polemize,
- prevaricate,
- priggishness,
- pull apart,
- pull to pieces,
- pussyfoot,
- quibble,
- quibbling,
- quiddity,
- quillet,
- quip,
- quirk,
- quodlibet,
- rap,
- reflection,
- reproachfulness,
- shift,
- shuffle,
- shy,
- sidestep,
- slam,
- spar,
- split hairs,
- stricture,
- swipe,
- take exception,
- take sides,
- taking exception,
- tear apart,
- tear to pieces,
- tergiversate,
- thrash out,
- trichoschistism,
- try conclusions,
- wrangle