Cavil | Webster's Dictionary (1865)

Căv'il, v. i.

verbintransitive

[imp. & p. p. CAVILED, or CAVILLED; p. pr. & vb. n. CAVILING, or CAVILLING.] [Lat. cavillāri, to practice jesting, to censure, from cavilla, bantering jests, sophistry, literally an empty, vain speech, from cavus, hollow, vain; O. Fr. caviller, It. cavillare, Pg. cavillar, Sp. cavilar.] 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.

Căv'il, v. t.

verbtransitive

To receive or treat with objections; to find fault with. [Obs.]

Căv'il, n.

noun

n. A false or frivolous objection; a fallacious reason, bearing some resemblance to truth; a sophistical argument. “All the cavils of prejudice and unbelief.” South. “Abstract cavils concerning the nature of points.” Whewell.