hairsplitting (n.)
- animadversion
- aspersion
- bickering
- carping
- cavil
- chicane
- chicanery
- contradistinction
- criticism
- demarcation
- differentiation
- distinction
- distinctiveness
- division
- dodging
- equivocation
- evasion
- exception
- faultfinding
- fencing
- flak
- hairline
- hedging
- hit
- hypersensitivity
- imputation
- knock
- nice
- nit
- nuance
- obloquy
- overrefinement
- paltering
- pettifoggery
- petty
- prevarication
- priggishness
- quibble
- rap
- reflection
- segregation
- separation
- shifting
- shuffling
- slam
- stricture
- subterfuge
- swipe
- tergiversation
- trifling
