Pettifoggery

Definitions of pettifoggery

noun meaning: the practice of engaging in petty or trivial arguments, especially for the sake of delaying or complicating a legal process

Example Sentences

A1 I don't like all the pettifoggery involved in filling out this form.

A2 The lawyer's constant pettifoggery made the court case drag on for months.

B1 The politician was accused of engaging in pettifoggery to avoid answering the tough questions.

B2 The company's CEO was known for his pettifoggery when it came to negotiating contracts.

C1 The journalist exposed the government official's pettifoggery in manipulating data to support their agenda.

C2 The lawyer's reputation suffered due to his constant pettifoggery in trying to win cases at any cost.

Examples of pettifoggery in a Sentence

formal The lawyer accused the opposing counsel of engaging in pettifoggery during the trial.

informal Stop with all the pettifoggery and just tell me the truth.

slang I can't stand all the pettifoggery going on in this argument.

figurative The political debate was filled with pettifoggery, with both sides avoiding the real issues.

Grammatical Forms of pettifoggery

• past tense: pettifogged
• plural: pettifoggeries
• comparative: more pettifogging
• superlative: most pettifogging
• present tense: pettifogs
• future tense: will pettifog
• perfect tense: has pettifogged
• continuous tense: is pettifogging
• singular: pettifoggery
• positive degree: pettifog
• infinitive: to pettifog
• gerund: pettifogging
• participle: pettifogged

Origin and Evolution of pettifoggery

First Known Use: 1590 year

Language of Origin: English

Story behind the word: The word 'pettifoggery' originated from the combination of 'petty', meaning small or insignificant, and 'fogger', a term for a dishonest lawyer or legal agent.

Evolution of the word: Originally used to describe the underhanded tactics of unscrupulous lawyers, 'pettifoggery' has evolved to refer to any deceitful or dishonest behavior, especially in legal or political contexts.