How Do You Spell CAVIL?

Pronunciation: [kˈavə͡l] (IPA)

"Cavil" is a verb that means to make petty or unnecessary objections. The IPA phonetic transcription of "cavil" is /ˈkævəl/. The initial sound is pronounced like the "k" in "kit." The second sound is a short "a," as in "cat." The third sound is a "v" sound, followed by a short "uh" sound, like the "u" in "cup." The final sound is a soft "l" sound. Remember to double the "l" when forming the past tense "cavilled."

CAVIL Meaning and Definition

1. Cavil is a verb that refers to expressing trivial or petty objections or criticisms, often without significant basis or with the intention of creating unnecessary arguments. The term originates from the Latin word "cavillari," which means to mock or find fault.

   In practice, cavil implies nitpicking or finding fault in a trivial or frivolous manner rather than engaging in substantial or constructive criticism. When someone is said to cavil, they focus on trivial details and use them as a means to undermine or discredit an argument, idea, or person. Cavilling often involves raising minor objections that are not directly related to the main point being addressed, but are aimed at distracting or derailing a conversation or discussion.

   Cavilling can also be seen as a form of excessive skepticism or intentional fault-finding, where one intentionally seeks out flaws or weaknesses in an argument, statement, or action, even when those weaknesses are inconsequential or negligible. Cavillers tend to hyperfocus on perceived imperfections, taking pleasure in pointing out trivialities and potentially impeding the progress of problem-solving or decision-making processes.

   However, it is important to note that cavilling does not contribute positively to debates or discussions because it often sidetracks and distracts from the main topic. For this reason, individuals who engage in cavilling are often seen as argumentative or unnecessarily contrary.

2. • To raise frivolous objections; to find fault unreasonably; to wrangle; to carp at.

   • A false or frivolous objection.

   Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Common Misspellings for CAVIL

• cabile
• cakll
• caviy
• vivil
• cacel
• cavilar
• gavie
• divil
• avil
• civl
• camila
• navol
• mavel
• civila
• carvile
• civel
• caviea
• avial
• cargil
• davel
• gravil
• cvil
• kavis
• pavel
• cruil
• caviat
• aveil
• camily
• capial
• caril
• civile
• cabil
• casul
• civiv
• caqll
• civiil
• gamil
• clavial
• caviet
• heavil
• cicvil
• cavit
• civial
• avl
• cavily
• cakil
• camil
• canil
• cavia
• savia
• cavie
• cavik
• catil
• cavim
• cavuim
• cavila
• cavig
• cavoin
• Cazik
• Cyvily
• claviz
• Ladil
• kavic
• vcail
• vakil
• Curvil
• cailb
• havib
• salvil
• varvil
• Carvyl
• cavien
• cayia
• caahl
• Upvil
• Usvil
• cdavic
• cyvis
• cavdf
• cadvii
• cagiw
• CAUvI
• cavvv
• cfmil
• Carviel
• Caviya
• Cauhil
• Taviy
• Gavill
• CNVIIl
• vaviy
• caziq
• cyvie

Etymology of CAVIL

The word "cavil" has its roots in the Latin word "cavillari", which means "to jest" or "to mock". This Latin word was derived from "cavilla", which meant "raillery" or "banter". Eventually, during the Middle English period, the term "cavilen" emerged as a verb meaning "to engage in trivial or frivolous argument". Over time, it evolved into the modern English word "cavil", which refers to finding fault or raising objections unnecessarily, especially in a nitpicky or petty manner.

Idioms with the word CAVIL

• cavil at sm The idiom "cavil at" means to find fault or criticize something or someone excessively or in a nit-picky manner. It implies that the person is being overly critical, often in a petty or trivial way.
• cavil at (one) The idiom "cavil at (one)" means to criticize or find fault with someone excessively and unnecessarily for trivial reasons. It implies a tendency to nitpick and complain about even minor details or actions.
• cavil at someone The idiom "cavil at someone" means to find fault with or criticize someone or their actions in a petty or nitpicking manner. It implies that the person is excessively critical, often focusing on insignificant details rather than addressing the main issue.

Similar spelling words for CAVIL

• capella,
• cable,
• Capell,
• jail,
• civil,
• call,
• gavel,
• cabal,
• fail,
• Caple,
• cal.,
• cavallo,
• cave,
• cauble,
• capful,
• cavell,
• cabala,
• Capello,
• CALIF,
• Capel,
• cabello,
• Cappel,
• calif.,
• cavalla,
• cabell,
• coil.

Plural form of CAVIL is CAVILS

Conjugate verb Cavil

CONDITIONAL CONTINUOUS

I would be caviling

you would be caviling

he/she/it would be caviling

we would be caviling

they would be caviling

CONDITIONAL PERFECT

I would have caviled; cavilled

you would have caviled; cavilled

he/she/it would have caviled; cavilled

we would have caviled; cavilled

they would have caviled; cavilled

I would have cavil

you would have cavil

he/she/it would have cavil

we would have cavil

they would have cavil

CONDITIONAL PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I would have been caviling

you would have been caviling

he/she/it would have been caviling

we would have been caviling

they would have been caviling

CONDITIONAL PERFECT PROGRESSIVE

I would have been caviling; cavilling

you would have been caviling; cavilling

he/she/it would have been caviling; cavilling

we would have been caviling; cavilling

they would have been caviling; cavilling

CONDITIONAL PRESENT

I would cavil

you would cavil

he/she/it would cavil

we would cavil

they would cavil

CONDITIONAL PRESENT PROGRESSIVE

I would be caviling; cavilling

you would be caviling; cavilling

he/she/it would be caviling; cavilling

we would be caviling; cavilling

they would be caviling; cavilling

FUTURE

I will cavil

you will cavil

he/she/it will cavil

we will cavil

they will cavil

FUTURE CONTINUOUS

I will be caviling; cavilling

you will be caviling; cavilling

he/she/it will be caviling; cavilling

we will be caviling; cavilling

they will be caviling; cavilling

I will be caviling

you will be caviling

he/she/it will be caviling

we will be caviling

they will be caviling

FUTURE PERFECT

I will have caviled; cavilled

you will have caviled; cavilled

he/she/it will have caviled; cavilled

we will have caviled; cavilled

they will have caviled; cavilled

I will have caviled

you will have caviled

he/she/it will have caviled

we will have caviled

they will have caviled

I will have cavilled, will have caviled

we will have cavilled, will have caviled

you will have cavilled, will have caviled

he/she/it will have cavilled, will have caviled

they will have cavilled, will have caviled

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I will have been caviling; cavilling

you will have been caviling; cavilling

he/she/it will have been caviling; cavilling

we will have been caviling; cavilling

they will have been caviling; cavilling

I will have been caviling

you will have been caviling

he/she/it will have been caviling

we will have been caviling

they will have been caviling

IMPERATIVE

you cavil

we let´s cavil

NONFINITE VERB FORMS

to cavil

PAST

I caviled

you caviled

he/she/it caviled

we caviled

they caviled

I cavilled, caviled

we cavilled, caviled

you cavilled, caviled

he/she/it cavilled, caviled

they cavilled, caviled

PAST CONTINUOUS

I was caviling; cavilling

you were caviling; cavilling

he/she/it was caviling; cavilling

we were caviling; cavilling

they were caviling; cavilling

I was caviling

you were caviling

he/she/it was caviling

we were caviling

they were caviling

PAST PARTICIPLE

caviled; cavilled

caviled

PAST PERFECT

I had caviled; cavilled

you had caviled; cavilled

he/she/it had caviled; cavilled

we had caviled; cavilled

they had caviled; cavilled

I had caviled

you had caviled

he/she/it had caviled

we had caviled

they had caviled

I had cavilled, had caviled

we had cavilled, had caviled

you had cavilled, had caviled

he/she/it had cavilled, had caviled

they had cavilled, had caviled

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I had been caviling; cavilling

you had been caviling; cavilling

he/she/it had been caviling; cavilling

we had been caviling; cavilling

they had been caviling; cavilling

I had been caviling

you had been caviling

he/she/it had been caviling

we had been caviling

they had been caviling

PRESENT

I cavil

you cavil

he/she/it cavils

we cavil

they cavil

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

I am caviling; cavilling

you are caviling; cavilling

he/she/it is caviling; cavilling

we are caviling; cavilling

they are caviling; cavilling

I am caviling

you are caviling

he/she/it is caviling

we are caviling

they are caviling

PRESENT PARTICIPLE

caviling; cavilling

caviling

PRESENT PERFECT

I have caviled; cavilled

you have caviled; cavilled

he/she/it has caviled; cavilled

we have caviled; cavilled

they have caviled; cavilled

I have caviled

you have caviled

he/she/it has caviled

we have caviled

they have caviled

I have caviled, have cavilled

we have caviled, have cavilled

you have caviled, have cavilled

he/she/it has caviled, has cavilled

they have caviled, have cavilled

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I have been caviling; cavilling

you have been caviling; cavilling

he/she/it has been caviling; cavilling

we have been caviling; cavilling

they have been caviling; cavilling

I have been caviling

you have been caviling

he/she/it has been caviling

we have been caviling

they have been caviling

PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE

he/she/it cavil

SIMPLE PAST

I caviled; cavilled

you caviled; cavilled

he/she/it caviled; cavilled

we caviled; cavilled

they caviled; cavilled

I am caviling, am cavilling

we are cavilling, are caviling

you are cavilling, are caviling

he/she/it is caviling, is cavilling

they are cavilling, are caviling

I was cavilling, was caviling

we were caviling, were cavilling

you were caviling, were cavilling

he/she/it was cavilling, was caviling

they were caviling, were cavilling

I will be caviling, will be cavilling

we will be caviling, will be cavilling

you will be caviling, will be cavilling

he/she/it will be caviling, will be cavilling

they will be caviling, will be cavilling

I have been caviling, have been cavilling

we have been caviling, have been cavilling

you have been cavilling, have been caviling

he/she/it has been caviling, has been cavilling

they have been cavilling, have been caviling

I had been cavilling, had been caviling

we had been cavilling, had been caviling

you had been cavilling, had been caviling

he/she/it had been cavilling, had been caviling

they had been cavilling, had been caviling

I will have been caviling, will have been cavilling

we will have been caviling, will have been cavilling

you will have been caviling, will have been cavilling

he/she/it will have been caviling, will have been cavilling

they will have been caviling, will have been cavilling

I would have cavilled, would have caviled

we would have cavilled, would have caviled

you would have cavilled, would have caviled

he/she/it would have cavilled, would have caviled

they would have cavilled, would have caviled

I would be cavilling, would be caviling

we would be cavilling, would be caviling

you would be cavilling, would be caviling

he/she/it would be cavilling, would be caviling

they would be cavilling, would be caviling

I would have been cavilling, would have been caviling

we would have been cavilling, would have been caviling

you would have been cavilling, would have been caviling

he/she/it would have been cavilling, would have been caviling

they would have been cavilling, would have been caviling