petty-fog

petty-fog (third-person singular simple present petty-fogs, present participle petty-fogging, simple past and past participle petty-fogged)

1. Alternative form of pettifog
   • 1786, Arthur Murphy, Works - Volume 7, page 31:

     By works of darkness hopes to rise to day, And damns a brief, and petty-fogs a play; Cabals and plots, and wriggles for a name, And shrinks and withers at a rival's fame;