a. Obs. [ad. L. cavillōs-us (f. cavilla: see CAVIL and -OUS); or ad. OF. cavilleus, -eux in same sense.] Full of cavils or cavilling; (of persons) apt to cavil.
1572. Buchanan, Detect. Mary, in H. Campbell, Love-lett. Mary Q. Scots, 140. Though we would shift it off by cavillous expounding.
1577. Hellowes, Gueuara’s Chron., 330. Bassian was … also more cauillous and troublesome.
1645. Digby, Man’s Soul, viii. (1657), 78. Cavillous scruples, and wild doubts.
1726. Ayliffe, Parerg., 56. Cavillous and unfaithful Advocates, by whose Fraud and Iniquity, Justice is destroy’d.
1851. Gallenga, trans. Marriotti’s Italy, 354. The war-ministry were lukewarm, cavillous, impracticable.
Hence † Cavillously adv.; Cavillousness.
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., I. xiii. (1634), 59. Falsly and cavillously they ascribe unto us a device of their owne braine.
1648. Milton, Observ. Art. Peace (1851), 559. By the Covenant it self, since that so cavillously is urg’d against us.
