PETTIFOGGING
PETTIFOG
quibble, niggle, pettifog, bicker, squabble, brabble
(verb) argue over petty things; “Let’s not quibble over pennies”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Verb
pettifogging
present participle of pettifog
Noun
pettifogging (plural pettifoggings)
pettifoggery
Source: Wiktionary
Pet"ti*fog`ging, a.
Definition: Paltry; quibbling; mean.
Pet"ti*fog`ging, n.
Definition: Pettifoggery.
PETTIFOG
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