pettifogger
Example Sentences
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For nearly three years now, I’ve been fascinated by the performance art of this blustering pettifogger.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 17, 2023
“The noun pettifogger has two main senses: ‘A lawyer whose methods are petty, underhanded, or disreputable; shyster’ and ‘one given to quibbling over trifles.’
From Washington Times ● Feb. 2, 2020
The verb was actually formed from the noun "pettifogger", which was used in the 16th Century to describe those who would argue over minor details in a fee.
From BBC ● Jan. 22, 2020
The learned editor apparently has a greater future as a pettifogger than as an attorney.
From Time Magazine Archive
The loss of his ten gulden and the blasphemy, as he calls it, grieve him, so that he is having an appeal drawn up by some pettifogger here to present to the archbishop of Lemberg.
From Judith Trachtenberg A Novel by Franzos, Karl Emil
Quoting from Thomas Jefferson's diary reference to "soliciting pettifoggers," Joe Stamper of Antlers, Okla., urged his fellow lawyers not to "equate legal services with soap and breakfast foods."
From Time Magazine Archive
This would still the voices of those pettifoggers who will protest that Oswald was not actually proved guilty in a court of law.
From Time Magazine Archive
"Tremble, pettifoggers, tremble," their glances seemed to say.
From The Fourth Estate, vol. 2 by Palacio Vald?s, Armando
Humanity will have the best against such pettifoggers as you.
From Diary from March 4, 1861, to November 12, 1862 by De Gurowski, Adam G., count
The word desilusionar, which the pettifoggers of 'The Youth of Sarrio' say is not Castilian," returned "The Light," "we have seen used by the most eminent writers of Madrid, such as Ferez, Gonzalez, Martinez, etc.
From The Fourth Estate, vol. 2 by Palacio Vald?s, Armando
Vocabulary lists containing pettifogger
O'Reilly's Lexicon of Epithets
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True Grit
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"Old World Landowners" by Nikolai Gogol
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