An evasion of the point of an argument by raising irrelevant distinctions or objections.

synonyms: quibble, quiddity.

Roget 932: disapprobation, disapproval; improbation^†; disesteem, disvaluation^†, displacency^†; odium; dislike etc. 867.    dispraise, discommendation^†; blame, censure, obloquy; detraction etc. 934; disparagement, depreciation; denunciation; condemnation etc. 971; ostracism; black list.    animadversion, reflection, stricture, objection, exception, criticism; sardonic grin, sardonic laugh; sarcasm, insinuation, innuendo; bad compliment, poor compliment, left-handed compliment.    satire; sneer etc. (contempt) 930; taunt etc. (disrespect) 929; cavil, carping, censoriousness; hypercriticism etc. (fastidiousness) 868.    reprehension, remonstrance, expostulation, reproof, reprobation, admonition, increpation^†, reproach; rebuke, reprimand, castigation, jobation^†, lecture, curtain lecture, blow up, wigging, dressing, rating, scolding, trimming; correction, set down, rap on the knuckles, coup de bec [Fr.], rebuff; slap, slap on the face; home thrust, hit; frown, scowl, black look.    diatribe; jeremiad, jeremiade; tirade, philippic.    clamor, outcry, hue and cry; hiss, hissing; sibilance, sibilation, catcall; execration etc. 908.    chiding, upbraiding etc. v.; exprobation^†, abuse, vituperation, invective, objurgation, contumely; hard words, cutting words, bitter words.    evil-speaking; bad language etc. 908; personality.    ... show more

Dutch: haarkloverij

Raise trivial objections.

synonyms: carp, chicane.

Roget 932: disapprove; dislike etc. 867; lament etc. 839; object to, take exception to; be scandalized at, think ill of; view with disfavor, view with dark eyes, view with jaundiced eyes; nil admirari [Lat.], disvalue^†; improbate^†.    frown upon, look grave; bend the brows, knit the brows; shake the head at, shrug the shoulders; turn up the nose etc. (contempt) 930; look askance, look black upon; look with an evil eye; make a wry face, make a wry mouth at; set one's face against.    dispraise, discommend^†, disparage; deprecate, speak ill of, not speak well of; condemn etc. (find guilty) 971.    blame; lay blame upon, cast blame upon; censure, fronder [Fr.], reproach, pass censure on, reprobate, impugn.    remonstrate, expostulate, recriminate.    reprehend, chide, admonish; berate, betongue^†; bring to account, call to account, call over the coals, rake over the coals, call to order; take to task, reprove, lecture, bring to book; read a lesson, read a lecture to; rebuke, correct.    reprimand, chastise, castigate, lash, blow up, trounce, trim, laver la tete [Fr.], overhaul; give it one, give it one finely; gibbet.    accuse etc. 938; impeach, denounce; hold up to reprobation, hold up to execration; expose, brand, gibbet, stigmatize; show up, pull up, take up; cry 'shame' upon;" be outspoken; raise a hue and cry against.    execrate etc. 908; exprobate^†, speak daggers, vituperate; abuse, abuse like a pickpocket; scold, rate, objurgate, upbraid, fall foul of; jaw; rail, rail at, rail in good set terms; bark at; anathematize, call names; call by hard names, call by ugly names; avile^†, revile; vilify, vilipend^†; bespatter; backbite; clapperclaw^†; rave against, thunder against, fulminate against; load with reproaches.    exclaim against, protest against, inveigh against, declaim against, cry out against, raise one's voice against.    decry; cry down, run down, frown down; clamor, hiss, hoot, mob, ostracize, blacklist; draw up a round robin, sign a round robin.    animadvert upon, reflect upon; glance at; cast reflection, cast reproach, cast a slur upon; insinuate, damn with faint praise; hint a fault and hesitate dislike;" not to be able to say much for.    scoff at, point at; twit, taunt etc. (disrespect) 929; sneer at etc. (despise) 230; satirize, lampoon; defame etc. (detract) 934; depreciate, find fault with, criticize, cut up; pull to pieces, pick to pieces; take exception; cavil; peck at, nibble at, carp at; be censorious etc. adj.; pick holes, pick a hole, pick a hole in one's coat; make a fuss about.    take down, take down a peg, set down; snub, snap one up, give a rap on the knuckles; throw a stone at, throw a stone in one's garden; have a fling, have a snap at; have words with, pluck a crow with; give one a wipe, give one a lick with the rough side of the give one a lick with the rough side of the tongue.    incur blame, excite disapprobation, scandalize, shock, revolt; get a bad name, forfeit one's good opinion, be under a cloud, come under the ferule, bring a hornet's nest about one's ears.    take blame, stand corrected; have to answer for.    ... show more

Roget 485: disbelieve, discredit; not believe etc. 484; misbelieve^†; refuse to admit etc. (dissent) 489; refuse to believe etc. (incredulity) 487.    doubt; be doubtful etc. (uncertain) 475; doubt the truth of; be skeptical as to etc. adj.; diffide^†; distrust, mistrust; suspect, smoke, scent, smell a rat; have doubts, harbor doubts, entertain doubts, suspicions; have one's doubts.    demure, stick at, pause, hesitate, scruple; stop to consider, waver.    hang in suspense, hang in doubt.    throw doubt upon, raise a question; bring in, call in question; question, challenge, dispute; deny etc. 536; cavil; cause a doubt, raise a doubt, start a doubt, suggest a doubt, awake a doubt, make suspicion; ergotize^†.    startle, stagger; shake one's faith, shake one's belief, stagger one's faith, stagger one's belief.    ... show more

Roget 477: judge intuitively, judge by intuition; hazard a proposition, hazard a guess, talk at random.    reason ill, falsely etc. adj.; misjudge etc. 481; paralogize^†.    take on faith, take as a given; assume (supposition) 514.    pervert, quibble; equivocate, mystify, evade, elude; gloss over, varnish; misteach etc. 538^†; mislead etc. (error) 495; cavil, refine, subtilize^†, split hairs; misrepresent etc. (lie) 544.    beg the question, reason in a circle, reason in circles, assume the conclusion.    cut blocks with a razor, beat about the bush, play fast and loose, play fast and loose with the facts, blow hot and cold, prove that black is white and white black, travel out of the record, parler a tort et a travers [Fr.], put oneself out of court, not have a leg to stand on.    judge hastily, shoot from the hip, jump to conclusions (misjudgment) 481.    ... show more

Roget 489: dissent, demur; call in question etc. (doubt) 485; differ in opinion, disagree; say no etc. 536; refuse assent, refuse to admit; cavil, protest, raise one's voice against, repudiate; contradict etc. (deny) 536.    have no notion of, differ toto caelo [Lat.]; revolt at, revolt from the idea.    shake the head, shrug the shoulders; look askance, look askant^†.    secede; recant etc. 607.    ... show more

Dutch: chicaneren