niggle

/'nigl/
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Thân thiện
niggle

A colleague tends to niggle over minor formatting details in reports.

Definition
  1. Verb:
    • To worry or think about small, unimportant details in a way that is excessive or annoying: To focus on minor faults or trivial matters, often causing unnecessary concern or irritation.
    • To argue or complain about trivial matters: To engage in petty criticism or find fault with insignificant details.
Examples of Usage
  • Verb:
    • He tends to niggle over every line in the contract. (He tends to worry excessively about every minor detail in the contract.)
    • Please don't niggle about the color of the napkins; the party will be fine. (Please don't complain about the trivial detail of the napkin color.)
    • A small doubt began to niggle at the back of her mind. (A minor worry began to bother her persistently.)
Advanced Usage

  • "to niggle at someone": To cause a persistent, low-level worry or annoyance.

    • The thought that she had forgotten something niggled at her all day. (The minor worry that she had forgotten something bothered her persistently.)

  • "to niggle over something": To argue or be overly concerned with trivial aspects of something.

    • The committee spent hours niggling over the wording of the announcement. (The committee wasted time arguing about the unimportant details of the announcement's wording.)
Variants and Related Words

  • Niggling (adj): Causing slight but persistent annoyance, worry, or pain.

    • She had a niggling feeling that she had left the oven on. (She had a persistent, minor worry.)
    • He's been bothered by a niggling back pain. (He's been bothered by a slight but persistent pain.)

  • Niggler (n): A person who niggles; someone who fusses over petty details.

    • He's a bit of a niggler when it comes to grammar. (He is someone who focuses excessively on minor grammatical points.)
Synonyms
  • Fuss: To show unnecessary or excessive concern about something.
  • Quibble: To argue or raise objections about a trivial matter.
  • Cavil: To make petty or unnecessary objections.
Related Phrases
  • Split hairs: To argue about very small differences or trivial details. (This is an idiom with a similar meaning to 'niggle' in the context of petty argument.)
  • Make a mountain out of a molehill: To exaggerate a minor problem. (This idiom relates to the excessive worry aspect of 'niggle'.)
niggle

A colleague tends to niggle over minor formatting details in reports.

Verb
  1. argue over petty things
    • Let's not quibble over pennies
  2. worry unnecessarily or excessively
    • don't fuss too much over the grandchildren--they are quite big now

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