[f. CAVIL v. + -ER.] One who cavils; a captious or frivolous objector, a quibbling disputant.

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1574.  Whitgift, Def. Aunsw., 429 (R.). You are but a shiftyng cauiller.

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1667.  Phil. Trans., II. 505. Of greater moment and variety, than perhaps Detractors and Cavillers imagine or expect.

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1759.  Johnson, Rasselas, xxx. That it is doubted by single cavillers, can very little weaken the general evidence.

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1869.  Spurgeon, J. Ploughm. Talk, 17. Cavillers … find fault for the sake of showing off their deep knowledge.

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