stickle
Americanverb (used without object)
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to argue or haggle insistently, especially on trivial matters.
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to raise objections; scruple; demur.
verb
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to dispute stubbornly, esp about minor points
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to refuse to agree or concur, esp by making petty stipulations
Etymology
Origin of stickle
1520–30; variant of obsolete stightle to set in order, frequentative of stight to set in order, Middle English stighten, Old English stihtan to arrange; cognate with German stiften, Old Norse stētta to set up
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.
See Examples For:
Classicists from Nick's, who stickle for the traditions of the Chicago Style, nodded their heads in austere approval.
From Time Magazine Archive
Meanwhile in London His Majesty's Government continued to stickle for the oath in a sharp note to the Irish Free State, so sharp that last week neither sender nor receiver would divulge the contents.
From Time Magazine Archive
To all of them�pro-Nazi, anti-Nazi, pro-French or pro-League�the present seems no time to stickle.
From Time Magazine Archive
But he was disposed to stickle for the hereditary rights of the crown, both public and private, and he greatly disliked the details of his expenditure being scrutinised by a parliamentary committee.
From The Political History of England - Vol XI From Addington's Administration to the close of William IV.'s Reign (1801-1837) by Brodrick, George C. (George Charles)
They were wise not to stickle about rules, for Peter's eyesight and nerve were as good as those of any boy of twenty.
From Mr. Standfast by Buchan, John
"One party of English soldiers stickled not to contravene these commands, being tempted with the desire of finding victuals."
From On the Spanish Main Or, Some English forays on the Isthmus of Darien. by Masefield, John
We readily perceived that they were close dealers, stickled much for trifles, and never closed the bargain until they thought they had the advantage.
From First Across the Continent The story of the exploring expedition of Lewis and Clark in 1804-5-6 by Brooks, Noah
The widow Bevis indeed stickled hard for me.
From Clarissa Harlowe; or the history of a young lady — Volume 5 by Richardson, Samuel
You may remember, Sam, that your poor father always stickled for a roast leg of lamb at Easter.
From Shining Ferry by Quiller-Couch, Arthur Thomas, Sir
"You may even say, My Lord," replied Athos, who stickled for propriety.
From The Three Musketeers by Dumas père, Alexandre
The film, which was made largely with a $20,000 grant from the Wikimedia Foundation, spends time showing what has been lost to Wikipedia because of stickling rules of citation and verification.
From New York Times ● Aug. 8, 2011
After the "Schweinehund Speech," however, it was clear that Briand and Poincare are one in stickling for cash.
From Time Magazine Archive
There is little use in stickling on details.
From The Social Principles of Jesus by Rauschenbusch, Walter
"All the caves you want," said Bernel, scornful at such unusual stickling on the part of his chum.
From A Maid of the Silver Sea by Oxenham, John
This is seen in their way of stickling for accuracy when others repeat familiar word-forms.
From Children's Ways by Sully, James
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
