pettifog
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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To pettifog is ‘to engage in legal chicanery’ or ‘to quibble over insignificant details,’” the dictionary advised.
From Washington Times ● Feb. 2, 2020
When his law lies upon his hands he will afford a good pennyworth, and rather pettifog and turn common barreter than be out of employment.
From Character Writings of the 17th Century by Various
The popular understanding of the word criticize is to find fault, to pettifog.
From Plum Pudding Of Divers Ingredients, Discreetly Blended & Seasoned by Morley, Christopher
Thurston then proceeds to pettifog about his injunction to keep his letter to Congress about the Donation Land Bill "dark till next mail."
From Dr. John McLoughlin, the Father of Oregon by Holman, Frederick Van Voorhies
From the time that Charlton began to pettifog with his conscience, he began to lose peace of mind.
From The Mystery of Metropolisville by Eggleston, Edward
In every part of Italy,—in Malta, in Savoy, in Parma, in Lucca, in Genoa,—and finally even in Spain, he had pettifogged, bullied, threatened, until his opponents had given way.
From Autobiography of Andrew Dickson White — Volume 2 by White, Andrew Dickson
Truths once accepted as "self-evident," since become awkward of acceptance, were ever thus pettifogged out of the path, and fundamental principles have in this way prescriptively been tampered with.
From "Imperialism" and "The Tracks of Our Forefathers" by Adams, Charles Francis
The advice given yesterday with an assurance that only a settled and undoubting conviction could possibly excuse, was to-day pettifogged away mainly on the ground of Charley's worldly prosperity.
From The Faith Doctor A Story of New York by Eggleston, Edward
Fancy a creature that has pettifogged, as an underling too, all his life.’
From That Stick by Yonge, Charlotte Mary
But Fom was never known to lie; she only pettifogged.
From The Madigans by Lowell, Orson
The virtue of this concept is that it divorces essential protections from pettifogging debates over the definition of “employee.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 27, 2022
But the vast majority of our elected representatives overruled the pettifogging legalisms of Kennedy and the others.
From Washington Times ● Jan. 13, 2021
On the first day of the Trump impeachment trial, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Roberts uttered the word "pettifogging" to illustrate a point.
From BBC ● Jan. 22, 2020
By around the start of Wednesday’s proceedings, the pettifogging over Nadler’s use of “language that is not conducive to civil discourse” had extended from Republicans in the executive, to the judiciary, to the legislative.
From Slate ● Jan. 22, 2020
With a bitter curse upon the pettifogging dishonesty of his trading fellow countrymen, the now desperate man wrenched off one of the stirrups—not a bad weapon at a pinch—But once more fortune befriended him.
From The Ruby Sword A Romance of Baluchistan by Mitford, Bertram
