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C — Causewayed to Caviling (Part 6 of 6)

Caviare was considered a delicacy, by some, in Shakespeare's time, but was not relished by most. Hence Hamlet says of a certain play. "'T was caviare to the general," i. e., above the taste of the common people.

Cavicorn
(Cav"i*corn) a. [L. cavus hollow + cornu horn.] (Zoöl.) Having hollow horns.

Cavicornia
(||Cav`i*cor"ni*a) n. pl. [NL.] (Zoöl.) A group of ruminants whose horns are hollow, and planted on a bony process of the front, as the ox.

Cavil
(Cav"il) 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.

Cavil
(Cav"il), v. t. To cavil at. [Obs.] Milton.

Cavil
(Cav"il), n. A captious or frivolous objection.

All the cavils of prejudice and unbelief.
Shak.

Caviler
(Cav"il*er or Cav"il*ler) (- er), n. One who cavils.

Cavilers at the style of the Scriptures.
Boyle.

Caviling
(Cav"il*ing), a. Disposed to cavil; finding fault without good reason. See Captious.

His depreciatory and caviling criticism.
Lewis.