Căp'tious, a.

(kăpʹshus), a. [Fr. captieux, Lat. captiosus. See supra.] 1. Apt to catch at faults; disposed to find fault or to cavil; difficult to suit; peevish; fretful; perverse. “A captious and suspicious age.” Stillingfleet. I am sensible I have not disposed my materials to abide the test of a captious controversy. Burke. 2. Fitted to catch, or perplex, or insnare; insidious; troublesome. “Captious restraints on navigation.” Bancroft. Syn.—Caviling; carping; fault-finding; censorious; critical; peevish; insidious; insnaring.—CAPTIOUS, CAVILING, PETULANT, FRETFUL. One who is captious is ready to catch at the slightest faults; one who is caviling does it on trivial or imaginary grounds; one who is petulant is apt, from irritability, to make hasty but slight attacks; fretfulness is complaining impatience. A captious disposition; a caviling reviewer; petulant remarks; a fretful temper.