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).
例文
1. Let us not cavil too much.
あまりやかましく言うな。/
2.A carper will cavil at anything.
好き嫌いの多い人は何にでも好き嫌いがある。
3.Even he could find nothing to cavil about.
彼でさえ何の欠点も見つけられなかった.
4.I don 't think this the time to cavil at the wording of the report.
まだレポートに対する言い回しが本当の時ではないと思います。
5.Most practioners reject the idea of a "new science "and cavil even at the word futurology.