Synonyms of the word

pettifog

• v. To quibble over trivial matters; nitpick.
• v. To do a petty business as a lawyer, or carry out law business in a petty or tricky way.

argue

• v. (obsolete) To prove.
• v. To show grounds for concluding (that); to indicate, imply.
• v. (intransitive) To debate, disagree, or discuss opposing or differing viewpoints.
• v. (intransitive) To have an argument, a quarrel.
• v. (transitive) To present (a viewpoint or an argument therefor).

bicker

• v. To quarrel in a tiresome, insulting manner.
• v. To move tremulously, quiver, shimmer (of a water stream, of a flame).
• v. To skirmish; to exchange blows; to fight.
• n. A skirmish; an encounter.
• n. (Scotland, obsolete) A fight with stones between two parties of boys.
• n. A wrangle; also, a noise, as in angry contention.
• n. (Scotland) A wooden drinking-cup or other dish.

brabble

• v. (obsolete) To clamour; to contest noisily.
• v. To babble (of a stream or other watercourse).
• n. (obsolete) A broil; a noisy contest; a wrangle.

contend

• v. To strive in opposition; to contest; to dispute; to vie; to quarrel; to fight.
• v. To struggle or exert oneself to obtain or retain possession of, or to defend.
• v. To strive in debate; to engage in discussion; to dispute; to argue.

debate

• n. (obsolete) Strife, discord.
• n. An argument, or discussion, usually in an ordered or formal setting, often with more than two people,…
• n. An informal and spirited but generally civil discussion of opposing views.
• n. (uncountable) Discussion of opposing views.
• n. (Frequently in French form débat) A type of literary composition, taking the form of a discussion or disputation,…
• v. (transitive, intransitive) To participate in a debate; to dispute, argue, especially in a public arena.
• v. (obsolete, intransitive) To fight.
• v. (obsolete, transitive) To engage in combat for; to strive for.
• v. (transitive) To consider (to oneself), to think over, to attempt to decide.

fence

• n. A thin, human-constructed barrier which separates two pieces of land or a house perimeter.
• n. Someone who hides or buys and sells stolen goods, a criminal middleman for transactions of stolen goods,…
• n. Skill in oral debate.
• n. The art or practice of fencing.
• n. A guard or guide on machinery.
• n. (figuratively) A barrier, for example an emotional barrier.
• n. (computing, programming) A memory barrier.
• v. (transitive) To enclose, contain or separate by building fence.
• v. (transitive) To defend or guard.
• v. (transitive) To engage in the selling or buying of stolen goods.
• v. (intransitive, sports) To engage in (the sport) fencing.
• v. (intransitive, equestrianism) To jump over a fence.

niggle

• n. A minor complaint or problem.
• n. (obsolete) Small, cramped handwriting.
• v. (transitive, obsolete) To trifle with; to deceive; to mock.
• v. (transitive) To use, spend, or do in a petty or trifling manner.
• v. (intransitive) To dwell too much on minor points or on trifling details.
• v. (intransitive, chiefly Britain) To fidget, fiddle, be restless.

quibble

• n. A trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument.
• n. A shift or turn from the point in question; a trifling or evasive distinction; a cavil.
• n. (obsolete) A pun.
• v. (intransitive) To complain or argue in a trivial or petty manner.

squabble

• n. A minor fight or argument as between children, for example.
• v. (intransitive) To participate in a minor fight or argument.
• v. (transitive, printing) To disarrange, so that the letters or lines stand awry and require readjustment.