cav·il /ˈkævəl/ verb (cavilled, cavilling British EnglishBrE, caviled, caviling American EnglishAmE) [intransitiveI] formal COMPLAINto make unnecessary complaints about someone or something 无端指责,挑剔,(对…)吹毛求疵cavil at They cavilled at our calculations. 他们对我们的计算百般挑剔。
—cavil noun [countableC, uncountableU]