pettifogger


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pet·ti·fog·ger

 (pĕt′ē-fŏg′ər, -fô′gər)
n.
1. A lawyer whose practice involves petty matters or who lacks sound legal judgment or skills.
2. One who quibbles over trivia.
[Probably petty + obsolete fogger, pettifogger (probably akin to obsolete German Fugger, successful merchant, usurer, huckster, after the House of Fugger).]
pet′ti·fog′ v.
pet′ti·fog′ger·y n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

pettifogger

(ˈpɛtɪˌfɒɡə)
n
1. (Law) a lawyer of inferior status who conducts unimportant cases, esp one who is unscrupulous or resorts to trickery
2. any person who quibbles or fusses over details
[C16: from petty + fogger, of uncertain origin, perhaps from Fugger, name of a family (C15–16) of German financiers]
ˈpettiˌfoggery n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

pettifogger

1. a lawyer whose practice is of a small or petty character; a lawyer of little importance.
2. a shyster lawyer. — pettifoggery, n.
See also: Law
-Ologies & -Isms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.pettifogger - a person (especially a lawyer or politician) who uses unscrupulous or unethical methodspettifogger - a person (especially a lawyer or politician) who uses unscrupulous or unethical methods
shyster
offender, wrongdoer - a person who transgresses moral or civil law
2.pettifogger - a disputant who quibbles; someone who raises annoying petty objections
caviler, caviller, quibbler
malcontent - a person who is discontented or disgusted
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
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References in classic literature ?
“He is a pettifogger, and surely must know that there is such a thing as feloniously breaking into a man’s house.”
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So that thousands of poor English people trembled before a mysterious chieftain with an ancient destiny and a diadem of evil stars--when they are really trembling before a guttersnipe who was a pettifogger and a pawnbroker not twelve years ago.
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But, what of the hundreds of thousands of minds that have been deformed for ever by the incapable pettifoggers who have pretended to form them!
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It maintains luxurious lobbies* at every state capital, and at the national capital; and in all the cities and towns of the land it employs an immense army of pettifoggers and small politicians whose business is to attend primaries, pack conventions, get on juries, bribe judges, and in every way to work for its interests.**
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Roger Varian's grey has been firmly on the upgrade and beat Pettifogger in impressive fashion at Lingfield this month.
AT TOP OF HIS GAME
On "Pepito Manaloto," he makes TV audiences laugh and love pettifogger Tommy Diones.
Primeline to roll out bigger productions, new roster of talents
In what profession might 'pettifogger' be a derogatory term for a practitioner?
QUIZ OF THE DAY
In what profession might 'pettifogger' be derogatory term for a practitioner?
Quiz of the Day
A one-G lager dulls the mind, A two-G lagger, left behind, But I'll bet you a pettifogger you never met a three-G laaager.
An alphabet of three-L lamas
No lawyer but a pettifogger would admit to arguing for bad science that violates the public trust.
The Environmental Protection Agency's particulate matter rules: one physician's crusade against cargo cult science
A running loop of his films is currently on view at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (through month's end), and on March 8 and 9 the Museum of the Moving Image in New York will present a substantial program of his digital work, including The Pettifogger (2011), his first feature-length movie, and the world premiere of a new series, the "False Aging" trilogy (2008-12).
The illustrated man: Tony Pipolo talks with filmmaker Lewis Klahr
Gem geiriau ydi hon, lle mae pawb yn trio meddwl am eglurhad credadwy i air does neb wedi clywed amdano o'r blaen, fel 'aquabib' neu 'pettifogger' neu 'turdiform.' Argol, rydan ni wedi chwerthin efo hon, chwerthin nes rydan ni'n crio.
Paratoi am ein ornestau teuluol rownd y bwrdd

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