pettyfogger

See also: petty-fogger

English

Noun

pettyfogger (plural pettyfoggers)

1. Someone who quibbles over trifles.
   • 1749, Henry Fielding, “Jones Arrives at Gloucester, and Goes to the Bell; the Character of that House, and of a Petty-fogger, which He there Meets with”, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume III, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book VIII, pages 200 and 206:

     [page 200] This Fellow, I ſay, ſtiled himſelf a Lawyer, but was indeed a moſt vile Petty-fogger, without Senſe or Knowledge of any Kind; one of thoſe who may be termed Train-bearers to the Law; [...] [page 206] The Pettyfogger now likewiſe departed, and then Jones deſired the favour of Mrs Whitefield’s Company to drink Tea with him; but ſhe refuſed, and with a Manner ſo different from that with which ſhe had received him at Dinner, that it a little ſurprized him.

Alternative forms

• petty-fogger