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frivolous objections; to find fault without good reason. You do not well in obstinacy To cavil in the course of this contract. Shak.

One who cavils. Cavilers at the style of the Scriptures. Boyle.

Disposed to cavil; finding fault without good reason. See Captious. His depreciatory and caviling criticism. Lewis.

In a caviling manner.

Frivolous or sophistical objection. [Obs.] Hooker.

Characterized by caviling, or disposed to cavil; quibbing. [R.] -- Cav"il*ous*ly, adv. [R.] -- Cav"il*ous*ness, n. [R.]

Caviling; subtle disputation. [Obs.]

A caviling; a sophism. [Obs.] This doctrine is for caption and contradiction. Bacon.

Art to catch at faults; disposed to find fault or to cavil; eager to object; difficult to please. A captius and suspicious. Stillingfleet. I am sensible I have not disposed my materials to adbide the test of a captious controversy. Bwike.

To find fault; to cavil; to censure words or actions without reason or ill-naturedly; -- usually followed by at. Carping and caviling at faults of manner. Blackw. Mag. And at my actions carp or catch. Herbert.

One who carps; a caviler. Shak.

Fault-finding; censorious caviling. See Captious. -- Carp"ing*ly, adv.

of a case or question; -- specifically applied to legal proceedings; trickery; chicanery; caviling; sophistry. Prior. To shuffle from them by chicane. Burke. To cut short this, I propound it fairly to your own canscience. Berkeley.

ernment, or of being authorized by its provisions. Burke. Constitutionalities, bottomless cavilings and questionings about written laws. Carlyle.

Inclined to contradict or cavil [Obs.] Sharp. -- Con`tra*dic"tious*ness, n. Norris.

orous or captious judgment; one who censures or finds fault; a harsh examiner or judge; a caviler; a carper. When an author has many beauties consistent with virtue, piety, and truth, let not little critics exalt themselves, and shower down their ill nature. I. Watts. You know who the critics are the men who have faile…

To discuss the merits or demerits of a thing or person; esp., to find fault. Cavil you may, but never criticise. Pope.

A controversy; a falling out; a disagreement; an objection; a cavil. Measures for terminating all local difficulties. Bancroft.

Disposed to dispute; inclined to cavil or to reason in opposition; as, a disputative temper. I. Watts.

An objection; cavil; dissent; disapprobation; offense; cause of offense; -- usually followed by to or against. I will never answer what exceptions they can have against our account [relation]. Bentley. He . . . took exception to the place of their burial. Bacon. She takes exceptions at your person. Shak. Bill of except…