Meaning
technicality, quibble
- A subtle or pedantic legal technicality used to evade an issue or exploit a loophole.
- A petty quibble or trivial objection in an argument.
In a sentence
L'avvocato ha trovato un cavillo per annullare il processo.
The lawyer found a technicality to dismiss the trial.
Non possiamo perdere tempo dietro a ogni piccolo cavillo.
We cannot waste time on every little quibble.
È riuscito a evitare la sanzione grazie a un cavillo burocratico?
Did he manage to avoid the fine thanks to a bureaucratic technicality?
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| cavillo | masculine · singular |
| cavilli | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- Commonly used in legal and bureaucratic contexts with a negative connotation.
- Often heard in the fixed phrase 'cavillo legale' (legal loophole or technicality).