Some 16th-century Italian clergymen tried to ban coffee because they believed it to be “satanic.” However, Pope Clement VII loved coffee so much that he lifted the ban and had coffee baptized in 1600.
CAVIL
quibble, quiddity, cavil
(noun) an evasion of the point of an argument by raising irrelevant distinctions or objections
cavil, carp, chicane
(verb) raise trivial objections
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Verb
cavil (third-person singular simple present cavils, present participle (US) caviling or (UK) cavilling, simple past and past participle (US) caviled or (UK) cavilled)
(intransitive) To criticise for petty or frivolous reasons.
Synonyms: be hypercritical, nitpick, pettifog, split hairs
Noun
cavil (plural cavils)
A petty or trivial objection or criticism.
Anagrams
• clavi, lavic
Source: Wiktionary
Cav"il, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Caviled or Cavilled (; p. pr. & vb. n. Caviling or Cavilling.] Etym: [L. cavillari to practice jesting, to censure, fr. cavilla bantering jests, sophistry: cf. OF. caviller.]
Definition: To raise captious and frivolous objections; to find fault without good reason. You do not well in obstinacy To cavil in the course of this contract. Shak.
Cav"il, v. t.
Definition: To cavil at. [Obs.] Milton.
Cav"il, n.
Definition: A captious or frivolous objection. All the cavils of prejudice and unbelief. Shak.
Cav"il or Cav"il*er, n.
Definition: One who cavils. Cavilers at the style of the Scriptures. Boyle.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
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