Pettifogging

Pettifogging describes behavior that is characterized by an excessive concern with minor details or technicalities, especially in order to avoid the larger issues or to quibble or mislead. It often implies a captious or evasive approach to argument and discussion, focusing on inconsequential points to obscure the main subject or to gain an unfair advantage. A pettifogging person might be overly legalistic or pedantic, more interested in adhering strictly to the letter of the law or rule than with the underlying spirit or purpose. It suggests a lack of intellectual honesty and a willingness to be deliberately difficult or obtuse.

Pettifogging meaning with examples

• Instead of addressing the core problem of the failing infrastructure, the committee engaged in endless pettifogging over minor budgetary line items, delaying much-needed repairs and improvements to key infrastructure projects.
• The lawyer's pettifogging tactics, focusing on minute discrepancies in the witness's testimony, were a clear attempt to distract the jury from the defendant's undeniable guilt in the armed robbery case.
• The academic debate devolved into pettifogging when the participants started quibbling over the precise definition of terms, losing sight of the broader implications of their research on the history of the Roman empire.
• He was so focused on pettifogging rules and regulations that he missed the bigger picture, failing to see the harm his bureaucratic rigidity was causing to small businesses affected by new legislation.