How Do You Spell PETTIFOG?

Pronunciation: [pˈɛtɪfˌɒɡ] (IPA)

The term "pettifog" is a verb that means to engage in a legal action or argument, especially in a petty or unethical way. Its spelling follows the English pronunciation rules, where "petti" is pronounced as /ˈpɛti/ and "fog" is pronounced as /fɒɡ/. Together, the word is pronounced as /ˈpɛtifaɡ/. The origin of this word is believed to come from the Old French word "petitfoc", which means a small light or lamp, in reference to someone who is trying to shed light on a subject or argument.

PETTIFOG Meaning and Definition

1. Pettifog, verb:

   To pettifog means to engage in underhanded or contentious legal practices or to argue over trivial or insignificant matters, often in a dishonest or disingenuous manner. It involves taking advantage of or exploiting loopholes, technicalities, or small details for personal gain or to obstruct justice. The term "pettifog" is commonly associated with lawyers and their tactics.

   The word "pettifog" can also convey the act of finding fault or nitpicking, especially in an argument or debate, in order to hinder progress or manipulate others. It encompasses the practice of using sophistry or deceptive strategies to confuse or obfuscate an issue and divert attention from the main point. It often results in prolonging a dispute unnecessarily and dragging it into irrelevant details.

   Furthermore, "pettifog" may be employed to describe someone who haggles excessively or becomes overly contentious in negotiating trivial matters, particularly for the sake of causing frustration or trying to gain an unfair advantage.

   Overall, to pettifog typically carries a negative connotation as it suggests engaging in deceptive or manipulative behaviors, whether in a legal context, argumentative discussion, negotiation, or any situation where dishonest tactics or excessive contention are employed.

Common Misspellings for PETTIFOG

• pettiful
• oettifog
• lettifog
• -ettifog
• 0ettifog
• pwttifog
• psttifog
• pdttifog
• prttifog
• p4ttifog
• Pettiol
• Pettito
• pettifogue

Etymology of PETTIFOG

The word "pettifog" has an interesting etymology. It derives from two separate words, "petty" and "fogger", which were combined to form "pettifog".

1. "Petty" comes from the Old French word "petit", meaning "small" or "insignificant". It entered English in the 14th century and referred to something of little importance or value.

2. "Fogger" is an old term for a dishonest or tricky lawyer. It can be traced back to the Late Middle English word "fogger" or "fugger", which meant "a person who tries to confuse others". This term likely came from the Old Norse word "fogg", meaning "grass growing among boggy ground". The connection between confusion and growing in a tangled manner may have led to the association with tricky lawyers.

Similar spelling words for PETTIFOG

• pettifogger,
• peat bog.

Conjugate verb Pettifog

CONDITIONAL

I would pettifog

you would pettifog

he/she/it would pettifog

we would pettifog

they would pettifog

CONDITIONAL CONTINUOUS

I would be pettifogging

you would be pettifogging

he/she/it would be pettifogging

we would be pettifogging

they would be pettifogging

CONDITIONAL PERFECT

I would have pettifog

you would have pettifog

he/she/it would have pettifog

we would have pettifog

they would have pettifog

CONDITIONAL PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I would have been pettifogging

you would have been pettifogging

he/she/it would have been pettifogging

we would have been pettifogging

they would have been pettifogging

FUTURE

I will pettifog

you will pettifog

he/she/it will pettifog

we will pettifog

they will pettifog

FUTURE CONTINUOUS

I will be pettifogging

you will be pettifogging

he/she/it will be pettifogging

we will be pettifogging

they will be pettifogging

FUTURE PERFECT

I will have pettifogged

you will have pettifogged

he/she/it will have pettifogged

we will have pettifogged

they will have pettifogged

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I will have been pettifogging

you will have been pettifogging

he/she/it will have been pettifogging

we will have been pettifogging

they will have been pettifogging

IMPERATIVE

you pettifog

we let´s pettifog

NONFINITE VERB FORMS

to pettifog

PAST

I pettifogged

you pettifogged

he/she/it pettifogged

we pettifogged

they pettifogged

PAST CONTINUOUS

I was pettifogging

you were pettifogging

he/she/it was pettifogging

we were pettifogging

they were pettifogging

PAST PARTICIPLE

pettifogged

PAST PERFECT

I had pettifogged

you had pettifogged

he/she/it had pettifogged

we had pettifogged

they had pettifogged

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I had been pettifogging

you had been pettifogging

he/she/it had been pettifogging

we had been pettifogging

they had been pettifogging

PRESENT

I pettifog

you pettifog

he/she/it pettifogs

we pettifog

they pettifog

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

I am pettifogging

you are pettifogging

he/she/it is pettifogging

we are pettifogging

they are pettifogging

PRESENT PARTICIPLE

pettifogging

PRESENT PERFECT

I have pettifogged

you have pettifogged

he/she/it has pettifogged

we have pettifogged

they have pettifogged

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I have been pettifogging

you have been pettifogging

he/she/it has been pettifogging

we have been pettifogging

they have been pettifogging