What is "cavilled"

Cavil \Cav"il\ (k[a^]v"[i^]l), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Caviled or Cavilled; p. pr. & vb. n. Caviling or Cavilling.] [L. cavillari to practice jesting, to censure, fr. cavilla bantering jests, sophistry: cf. OF. caviller.] To raise captious and frivolous objections; to find fault without good reason.

You do not well in obstinacy To cavil in the course of this contract.
--Shak.

vb. (en-past of: cavil)

See cavil

1. n. an evasion of the point of an argument by raising irrelevant distinctions or objections [syn: quibble, quiddity]

2. v. raise trivial objections [syn: carp, chicane]

3. [also: cavilling, cavilled]