cavil
verb [intransitive] (formal)Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they cavil | |
he / she / it cavils | |
past simple cavilled | |
past participle cavilled | |
(US English) past simple caviled | |
(US English) past participle caviled | |
-ing form cavilling | |
(US English) -ing form caviling |
- cavil (at something)
to make unnecessary complaints about something synonym quibble无端抱怨;挑剔;吹毛求疵 Several countries cavilled at the cost of the project. 几个国家对该项目的成本吹毛求疵。
Word Originmid 16th cent.: from French caviller, from Latin cavillari, from cavilla ‘mockery’.