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: Law2. a shyster lawyer. — pettifoggery, n.
-Ologies & -Isms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
| Noun | 1. |  pettifogger - a person (especially a lawyer or politician) who uses unscrupulous or unethical methods |
| 2. | pettifogger - a disputant who quibbles; someone who raises annoying petty objections malcontent - a person who is discontented or disgusted |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
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