Cavil (Noun)
Meaning
An evasion of the point of an argument by raising irrelevant distinctions or objections.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- The lawyer's opponent accused her of using a cavil to avoid addressing the core issue of the case.
- His argument was weakened by the cavil that the data was collected on a Tuesday, which he claimed was an unusual day.
- The politician's response to the question was dismissed as a cavil, as it failed to provide a clear answer.
- The professor pointed out that the student's objection was merely a cavil, and did not address the underlying premise of the argument.
- The judge warned the defendant's attorney against using cavils to delay the proceedings and avoid addressing the substance of the charges.