quibble
noun
an instance of the use of ambiguous, prevaricating, or irrelevant language or arguments to evade a point at issue.
had quibbled
-
past perfectof quibble.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Douglas had quibbled over the decision and explained it away until it seemed doubtful whether it in fact settled anything.
From Life of Stephen A. Douglas by William Gardner
