pettyfogging
adjective & verb

- behaviour that gives too much attention to small details that are not important

- worrying too much about details that are minor or not important

- to quibble over insignificant details

Cambridge Dictionary, Merriam-Webster

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WORD ORIGIN

“Petty” from Middle English pety, derived from Old French petit, meaning "small" or "trivial." It conveys the idea of something minor, insignificant, or of little importance.

“Fogging” from the obsolete English word fogger, which originally referred to a person who engaged in underhanded or unscrupulous practices, particularly in petty business dealings. It may also come from Dutch voeger, meaning "huckster" or "cheater."

By the 16th century, the term “pettifogger” emerged to describe a small-time lawyer or attorney who was unethical, focused on minor details, or practiced deceitful legal maneuvers.

The combination of petty (trivial) and fogger (an unscrupulous person) created this derogatory term.

The adjective form, pettifogging, evolved later to describe the act or behavior of being overly concerned with trivial matters, nitpicking, or engaging in minor, disreputable legal arguments.

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BACK IN TIME

Some famous cases where the term “pettifogging” was used include:

- 1838 New York Times Report: The term was used to criticize Attorney General Butler’s objections to a currency bill, describing it as a “pettifogging document” aimed at deflecting public outrage

- 1905 Impeachment Trial of Judge Charles Swayne: During this trial, the use of “pettifogging” was objected to by a senator, and the presiding officer agreed it was inappropriate.

- 2020 Trump Impeachment Trial: Chief Justice John Roberts used the term to admonish both sides for their conduct during the trial.

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SYNONYMS

bickering, captious, carping, caviling, critical, demanding, exacting, fastidious, finicky, fussy, hairsplitting, hypercritical, judgmental, meticulous, nagging, nitpicking, overcritical, particular, pedantic, petty, PETTIFOGGING, picky, precise, quibbling, scrupulous, small-minded, snippy, strict, trifling, trivial

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SMUGGLE OWAD into a conversation today, say something like:

"Is the 'correct' use of hyphens, commas, and colons, just PETTIFOGGING — or necessary for precise communication?"

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