Definition of pettifogging in English:

pettifogging

adjective ˈpɛtɪfɒɡɪŋˈpɛdiˌfɔɡɪŋ

Placing undue emphasis on petty details; petty or trivial.
（人）吹毛求疵的，挑剔的
pettifogging attorneys were the bane of civil society
Example sentencesExamples
- Only the most Lilliputian of political outlooks could consider these kind of pettifogging government measures ‘bold and far-reaching’.
- The one thing that Labour has been entirely consistent about is its pettifogging parliamentarism, its proceduralism, its gradualism and its timidity before capital and the Establishment.
- These concerns for purity should not be understood as pettifogging legalism.
- Their concern was brushed off as a pettifogging detail rather than an understandable concern.
- Either they have no idea what is at stake, or they place pettifogging bureaucracy above all else.
Synonyms
trivial, unimportant, insignificant, inconsequential, petty, minor, of little account, of no account, of little consequence, of no consequence, not worth mentioning, not worth bothering about, light, footling, fiddling, incidental

Origin

Late 16th century: from pettifogger + -ing².

Definition of pettifogging in US English:

pettifogging

adjectiveˈpedēˌfôɡiNGˈpɛdiˌfɔɡɪŋ

Placing undue emphasis on petty details.
（人）吹毛求疵的，挑剔的
pettifogging attorneys were the bane of civil society
I'm working on the broad business vision here, not pettifogging little details
我做的是关于业务总体前景的工作，而不是些鸡毛蒜皮的事儿。
Example sentencesExamples
- The one thing that Labour has been entirely consistent about is its pettifogging parliamentarism, its proceduralism, its gradualism and its timidity before capital and the Establishment.
- Either they have no idea what is at stake, or they place pettifogging bureaucracy above all else.
- Their concern was brushed off as a pettifogging detail rather than an understandable concern.
- Only the most Lilliputian of political outlooks could consider these kind of pettifogging government measures ‘bold and far-reaching’.
- These concerns for purity should not be understood as pettifogging legalism.
Synonyms
trivial, unimportant, insignificant, inconsequential, petty, minor, of little account, of no account, of little consequence, of no consequence, not worth mentioning, not worth bothering about, light, footling, fiddling, incidental

Origin

Late 16th century: from pettifogger + -ing.

词汇	pettifogging
释义	Definition of pettifogging in English: pettifogging adjective ˈpɛtɪfɒɡɪŋˈpɛdiˌfɔɡɪŋ Placing undue emphasis on petty details; petty or trivial. （人）吹毛求疵的，挑剔的 pettifogging attorneys were the bane of civil society Example sentencesExamples Only the most Lilliputian of political outlooks could consider these kind of pettifogging government measures ‘bold and far-reaching’. The one thing that Labour has been entirely consistent about is its pettifogging parliamentarism, its proceduralism, its gradualism and its timidity before capital and the Establishment. These concerns for purity should not be understood as pettifogging legalism. Their concern was brushed off as a pettifogging detail rather than an understandable concern. Either they have no idea what is at stake, or they place pettifogging bureaucracy above all else. Synonyms trivial, unimportant, insignificant, inconsequential, petty, minor, of little account, of no account, of little consequence, of no consequence, not worth mentioning, not worth bothering about, light, footling, fiddling, incidental Origin Late 16th century: from pettifogger + -ing². Definition of pettifogging in US English: pettifogging adjectiveˈpedēˌfôɡiNGˈpɛdiˌfɔɡɪŋ Placing undue emphasis on petty details. （人）吹毛求疵的，挑剔的 pettifogging attorneys were the bane of civil society I'm working on the broad business vision here, not pettifogging little details 我做的是关于业务总体前景的工作，而不是些鸡毛蒜皮的事儿。 Example sentencesExamples The one thing that Labour has been entirely consistent about is its pettifogging parliamentarism, its proceduralism, its gradualism and its timidity before capital and the Establishment. Either they have no idea what is at stake, or they place pettifogging bureaucracy above all else. Their concern was brushed off as a pettifogging detail rather than an understandable concern. Only the most Lilliputian of political outlooks could consider these kind of pettifogging government measures ‘bold and far-reaching’. These concerns for purity should not be understood as pettifogging legalism. Synonyms trivial, unimportant, insignificant, inconsequential, petty, minor, of little account, of no account, of little consequence, of no consequence, not worth mentioning, not worth bothering about, light, footling, fiddling, incidental Origin Late 16th century: from pettifogger + -ing.
随便看	exteriority exteriorization exteriorization exteriorize exteriorly exteriorly exteriors exterminable exterminate exterminated exterminates exterminating extermination extermination exterminations exterminative exterminator exterminator exterminators exterminatory exterminatory extern external external appearance external auditory meatus