Lexic.us

Definition of Pettifog

1. Verb. Argue over petty things. "Sam wants to pettifog with Sue "; "Let's not quibble over pennies"

Definition of Pettifog

1. v. i. To do a petty business as a lawyer; also, to do law business in a petty or tricky way.

2. v. t. To advocate like a pettifogger; to argue trickily; as, to pettifog a claim.

Definition of Pettifog

1. Verb. To quibble over trivial matters; nitpick ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Pettifog

1. to quibble [v -FOGGED, -FOGGING, -FOGS] - See also: quibble

Lexicographical Neighbors of Pettifog

Literary usage of Pettifog

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Judge Haliburton's Yankee Stories by Thomas Chandler Haliburton (1846)
"JUSTICE pettifog. country ; what with new rum, hard labour, ... CHAPTER V. JUSTICE pettifog. IN the morning the Clockmaker informed me that a Justice's ..."

2. Sam Slick, the Clockmaker: The Sayings and Doings of Samuel Slick, of Slickville by Thomas Chandler Haliburton (1887)
"Taking out a long list of causes, Mr. pettifog commenced reading the names: "James Sharp versus John Slug—call John Slug." John Slug being duly called and ..."

3. Dictionary of Americanisms. by John Russell Bartlett (1877)
"To pettifog. Some newspaper writers use this verb transitively, in the sense of to advocate in the manner of a pettifogger; as, ..."

4. The Clockmaker: Or, The Sayings and Doings of Sam Slick, of Slickville. To by Thomas Chandler Haliburton (1839)
"Taking out a long list of causes, Mr. pettifog commenced reading the names—James Sharp versus John Slug—call John Slug ; John Slug being duly called, ..."

5. The Columbian Magazine edited by John Inman, Robert A. West, Stephen M. Chester, Darius Mead (1846)
"Returning to pettifog, he related the result of his mission, ... pettifog forthwith communicated the national insult to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, ..."

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