niggle

• POS: Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: nig=gle

CIDE DICTIONARY

niggle, v. t. [Dim. of Prov. E. nig to clip money; cf. also Prov. E. nig a small piece.].

 To trifle with; to deceive; to mock.  Beau. & Fl.  [1913 Webster]

niggle, v. i. 

•  To trifle or play.  [1913 Webster]

  "Take heed, daughter,
  You niggle not with your conscience and religion."  [1913 Webster]
•  To act or walk mincingly.  [1913 Webster]
•  To fret and snarl about trifles.  [1913 Webster]
•  To move about restlessly or without result; to fidget.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
•  To be finicky or excessively critical; to potter; esp., to work with excessive care for trifling details, as in painting.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

niggle, v. t. 

•  To use, spend, or do in a petty or trifling manner.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
•  To elaborate excessively, as in art.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

niggle, v. & n.
--v.
1 intr. be over-attentive to details.
2 intr. find fault in a petty way.
3 tr. colloq. irritate; nag pettily.
--n. a trifling complaint or criticism; a worry or annoyance.

Etymology

app. of Scand. orig.: cf. Norw. nigla

THESAURUS

niggle

adverse criticism, animadversion, aspersion, bad notices, bad press, bitch, bug, captiousness, carp, carp at, carping, cavil, caviling, censoriousness, complain, criticism, criticize, exception, faultfinding, find fault, flak, fret at, fuss, fuss at, grouse, hairsplitting, hassle, henpeck, hit, home thrust, hostile criticism, hypercriticalness, hypercriticism, imputation, knock, kvetch, nag, nagging, nibble at, niggling, nit, nit-picking, obloquy, overcriticalness, peck at, pester, pestering, pettifogging, pick at, pick on, priggishness, quibble, quibbling, rap, reflection, reproachfulness, slam, stricture, swipe, taking exception, trichoschistism, yap at

ROGET THESAURUS

niggle

Disrespect

VB hold in disrespect, misprize, disregard, slight, trifle with, set at naught, pass by, push aside, overlook, turn one's back upon, laugh in one's sleeve, be disrespectful, be discourteous, treat with disrespect, set down, put down, browbeat, dishonor, desecrate, insult, affront, outrage, speak slightingly of, disparage, vilipend, vilify, call names, throw dirt, fling dirt, drag through the mud, point at, indulge in personalities, make mouths, make faces, bite the thumb, take by the beard, pluck by the beard, toss in a blanket, tar and feather, have in derision, hold in derision, deride, scoff, barrack, sneer, laugh at, snigger, ridicule, gibe, mock, jeer, hiss, hoot, taunt, twit, niggle, gleek, gird, flout, fleer, roast, turn into ridicule, burlesque, laugh to scorn, smoke, fool, make game of, make a fool of, make an April fool of, play a practical joke, lead one a dance, run the rig upon, have a fling at, scout, mob.