pettifog - Wiktionary, the free dictionary
English
Verb
pettifog (third-person singular simple present pettifogs, present participle pettifogging, simple past and past participle pettifogged)
- (intransitive) To quibble over trivial matters; nitpick.
- ✤ Don’t pettifog or we will soon grow weary.
- ✤ [Deacon Mushrat to Pogo:] The Machiavellian barratry of a pettifogging public has maundered into do-nothingism.1
- (intransitive) To do a petty business as a lawyer, or carry out law business in a petty or tricky way.
- ✤ He is a common barreter for his pleasure, that takes no money, but pettifogs gratis.2
Etymology
Back-formation from pettifogger.
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA: /ˈpɛt.iˌfɒɡ/
- Audio (Southern England): 🔊
Printed 2026-09-04.
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