pettifogging

• Have the pettifogging, hair-splitting, nonsensical, and yet inflammatory bickerings about the right of search, pandering to the thirst for revenge in France, panting for war to prostrate the disputed title of her king—has the sound of this war-trumpet yet faded away upon our ears? —  The Project Gutenberg eBook of Memoir of the Life of John Quincy Adams, by Josiah Quincy
• Lest I be accused of pettifogging, let me explain. —  Halifax Live
• It has been made the instrument of artful, designing, and malicious persons, aided by pettifogging or pretended attorneys, to obtain money for themselves and clients by way of compromise; and in numerous instances it is well known that fear has been construed into actual guilt. —  Real Life In London, Volumes I. and II. Or, The Rambles And Adventures Of Bob Tallyho, Esq., And His Cousin, The Hon. Tom Dashall, Through The Metropolis; Exhibiting A Living Picture Of Fashionable Characters, Manners, And Amusements In High And Low Life (1821)
• Have the pettifogging, hair-splitting, nonsensical and yet inflammatory bickerings about the right of search pandering to the thirst for revenge in France, panting for war to prostrate the disputed title of her king--has the sound of this war-trumpet yet faded away upon our ears? —  Memoir of the Life of John Quincy Adams.
• This Mrs. Baxter called a pettifogging trick, and she pursued her parallel till the same terms were obviously indicated as appropriate to Quisanté's conduct My dear!" —  Quisanté

Allen's Synonyms and Antonyms

Used in the Same Context