I.a. [cavilla], to practise jeering or mocking; or (act.) to censure, criticise; to satirize in jest or earnest, to jest, etc. (syn.: jocari, ludere, illudere).
(α).
Absol.: “familiariter cum ipso etiam cavillor ac jocor,” Cic. Att. 2, 1, 5; cf. Liv. 39, 13, 3; 39, 42, 9; Suet. Tib. 8: “facetissime apud aliquem,” Gell. 5, 5, 1.—
(β).
With acc.: “togam ejus praetextam,” Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 10 (12), 2: “hanc artem ut tenuem ac jejunam,” Quint. 1, 4, 5: “verba patrum,” Tac. A. 1, 46: “tribunos plebis,” Liv. 2, 58, 9: “milites Romanos,” id. 5, 15, 4 et saep.—Hence, cavillatus in pass. sense, App. M. 9, p. 230.—
(γ).
With an objective clause: “in eo et etiam cavillatus est, aestate grave esse aureum amiculum, hieme frigidum,” Cic. N. D. 3, 34, 83. —*
II. Meton., to reason captiously, to use sophisms, to quibble, Liv. 3, 20, 4; Plin. 11, 51, 112, § 267; 35, 10, 36, § 85.
