Dictionary

split hairs en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Meanings

1. (idiomatic, plural, plural-only) Tedious details; minutiae.
   • The Microsoft trial had been in danger of slipping out of the public eye. Its endless procession of less-than-riveting economics professors and forgetful executives, mixed with scads of legal and technical split hairs, just hasn't made for gripping headlines. 1999 February 4, Lev Grossman, “Microsoft Tangled Up in Videotape Evidence”, in Time:

Translations (12)

it pignolo (tedious details) · it cavilloso (tedious details) · sv hårklyveri (tedious details) · fi pilkunviilaus (tedious details) · it perfezionista (tedious details) · it pedante (tedious details) · is hártogun (tedious details) · it calia (tedious details) · fi hiustenhalkominen (tedious details) · ga míníneacht (tedious details) · de Haarspalterei (tedious details) · pl szczegóły (tedious details)

split hairs en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Meanings

1. (idiomatic) To consider or argue about fine details; to worry about minutiae.
   • Let's get everything sorted into the right drawers and not split hairs about subdividing it further yet.

Forms

Relateds

nitpick · chop logic · hair-splittingly · hair-splitting

Synonyms

cavil

Translations (53)

yue 找碴 (to consider fine details) · cmn 雞蛋裏挑骨頭 /鸡蛋里挑骨头 (to consider fine details) · yue 找岔子 (to consider fine details) · cmn 吹毛求疵 (to consider fine details) · yue 雞蛋裏挑骨頭 /鸡蛋里挑骨头 (to consider fine details) · he הִתְפַּלְפֵּל (to consider fine details) · ca trobar pèls als ous (to consider fine details) · hu akadékoskodik (to consider fine details) · hu kákán is csomót keres (to consider fine details) · es rizar el rizo (to consider fine details) · cmn 指指點點 /指指点点 (to consider fine details) · es buscarle el pelo al huevo (to consider fine details) · pl dzielić włos na czworo (to consider fine details) · es buscarle tres pies al gato (to consider fine details) · ja 重箱の隅を楊枝でほじくる (to consider fine details) · it fiscalizzare (to consider fine details) · hu kukacoskodik (to consider fine details) · yue 指指點點 /指指点点 (to consider fine details) · es hilar delgado (to consider fine details) · it spaccare il capello in quattro (to consider fine details) · pt procurar chifre em cabeça de cavalo (to consider fine details) · ja 難癖を付ける (to consider fine details) · de Haare spalten (to consider fine details) · yue 吹毛求疵 (to consider fine details) · es sacarle la raíz cuadrada (to consider fine details) · ro despica firul în patru (to consider fine details) · cmn 雞蛋裡挑骨頭 /鸡蛋里挑骨头 (to consider fine details) · ca trobar pèls en tot (to consider fine details) · it cavillare (to consider fine details) · br spazhañ laou (to consider fine details) · ca primfilar (to consider fine details) · fr enculer les mouches (to consider fine details) · cy hollti blew (to consider fine details) · de Haarspalterei (to consider fine details) · it pignolare (to consider fine details) · nan-hbl 指指鑿鑿 /指指凿凿 (to consider fine details) · yue 雞蛋裡挑骨頭 /鸡蛋里挑骨头 (to consider fine details) · ja 枝葉末節にとらわれる (to consider fine details) · fr couper les cheveux en quatre (to consider fine details) · es hilar fino (to consider fine details) · fi halkoa hiuksia (to consider fine details) · nan-hbl 揣空揣縫 /揣空揣缝 (to consider fine details) · nl muggenziften (to consider fine details) · sv hårklyveri (to consider fine details) · cmn 錙銖必較 /锱铢必较 (to consider fine details) · fr chercher la petite bête (to consider fine details) · it cercare il pelo nell'uovo (to consider fine details) · nl haarkloven (to consider fine details) · pt procurar pelo em ovo (to consider fine details) · hu szőrszálat hasogat (to consider fine details) · hi मीन-मेख निकालना (to consider fine details) · ca filar prim (to consider fine details) · ru вдаваться в тонкости (to consider fine details)