cavil

英 ['kæv(ə)l] 美['kævl]
  • vi. 吹毛求疵;挑剔
  • vt. 吹毛求疵;无端指摘
  • n. 吹毛求疵;苛责;无端的指责

GRE畅通词汇

词态变化


第三人称单数: cavils;过去式: cavilled;过去分词: cavilled;现在分词: cavilling;

助记提示


cavil:cavity ill。从小洞里面找错误,鸡蛋里面挑骨头——挑毛病,吹毛求疵。

中文词源


cavil 吹毛求疵

来自PIE*kel, 欺骗,挑刺,词源同calumny, challenge.

英文词源


cavil
cavil: see challenge
cavil (v.)
1540s, from Middle French caviller "to mock, jest," from Latin cavillari "to jeer, mock; satirize, argue scoffingly" (also source of Italian cavillare, Spanish cavilar), from cavilla "jest, jeering," related to calumnia (see calumny).

双语例句


1. Let us not cavil too much.
我们就别太挑剔了。

来自柯林斯例句

2. A carper will cavil at anything.
爱挑剔的人对什么都挑剔.

来自《简明英汉词典》

3. Even he could find nothing to cavil about.
连他都挑不出什么毛病来.

来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

4. I don't think this is the time to cavil at the wording of the report.
我觉得现在还不是对报告的措辞较真的时候。

来自柯林斯例句

5. Most practitioners reject the idea of a " new science " and cavil even at the word futurology.
大多数实践者反对 “ 新科学 ” 的这一想法,甚至对未来学这个词吹毛求疵.

来自辞典例句