split hairs

Noun CEFR B2

Definitions

Tedious details; minutiae.

idiomatic, plural, plural-only

Equivalents

Españolbuscarle el pelo al huevo buscarle tres pies al gato hilar delgadohilar fino rizar el rizo sacarle la raíz cuadrada

Françaischercher la petite bête couper les cheveux en quatre enculer les mouches

DeutschHaare spalten Haarspalterei

13 more languages

Catalàfilar prim primfilar

Cymraeghollti blew

Suomihalkoa hiuksia hiustenhalkominen pilkunviilaus

हिन्दीमीन-मेख निकालना

Íslenskahártogun

Italianocalia cavillare cavillosocercare il pelo nell'uovo fiscalizzare pedante perfezionista pignolare pignolo spaccare il capello in quattro

日本語枝葉末節にとらわれる重箱の隅を楊枝でほじくる難癖を付ける

Nederlandshaarkloven muggenziften

Polskidzielić włos na czworo

Portuguêsprocurar chifre em cabeça de cavalo procurar pelo em ovo

Românădespica firul în patru

Русскийвдаваться в тонкости

Svenskahårklyveri

Examples

“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.”

CEFR level

B2

Upper Intermediate
This word is part of the CEFR B2 vocabulary — upper intermediate level.

See all B2 English words →

See also

split hand syndrome split head split horizon split infinitive split key Split Lake

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