PETTIFOG
quibble, niggle, pettifog, bicker, squabble, brabble
(verb) argue over petty things; “Let’s not quibble over pennies”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Verb
pettifog (third-person singular simple present pettifogs, present participle pettifogging, simple past and past participle pettifogged)
To quibble over trivial matters; nitpick.
To do a petty business as a lawyer, or carry out law business in a petty or tricky way.
• S. Butler
Synonyms
• See squabble
Source: Wiktionary
Pet"ti*fog, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Pettifogged; p. pr. & vb. n.
Pettifogging.] Etym: [Petty + fog to pettifog.]
Definition: To do a petty business as a lawyer; also, to do law business in
a petty or tricky way. "He takes no money, but pettifogs gratis." S.
Butler.
Pet"ti*fog, v. t.
Definition: To advocate like a pettifogger; to argue trickily; as, to
pettifog a claim. [Colloq.]
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition