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pettifogging

[pet-ee-fog-ing, -faw-ging] / ˈpɛt iˌfɒg ɪŋ, -ˌfɔ gɪŋ /






Example Sentences

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Experts were doubtful from the start of his pettifogging that he had reasonable grounds to bail out.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 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

Are you a pettifogging pedant who thinks that the widespread use of the word “decimate” to mean “annihilate”, or “gay” to mean “homosexual”, is a sign of the barbarism and illiteracy of today’s youth?

From The Guardian ● Oct. 7, 2017

In a pettifogging lawyer such an act would be infamous; in the president of the nation it becomes monstrous and staggers belief.

From Labor and Freedom by Eugene V. Debs


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