▪ I. carping, vbl. n.1
(ˈkɑːpɪŋ)
The action of the verb carp: † a. Speaking or saying; speech, talk; faculty of speech. Obs.
| c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. B. 1550 Sone so þe kynge for his care carping myȝt wynne. a 1400 Relig. Pieces fr. Thornton MS. (1867) 7 Ryghte sayeyng and carpyng of þe wordes. a 1400 Cov. Myst. (1841) 166 Suche a carpynge is unknowe. |
b. Censorious speech: cavilling, fault-finding, captious criticism.
| c 1400 Ywaine & Gaw. 127 This kene karping of Syr Kay. 1599 Shakes. Much Ado iii. i. 71 Such carping is not commendable. 1697–1712 Leslie Short Method w. Deists, &c. iii, All those little carpings..that are made as to the passage through the Red Sea. 1868 Nettleship Browning i. 49 The alloy of harsh criticism, of ungrateful carping. |
▪ II. carping, vbl. n.2
The preparing of teasels: see carp v.2
▪ III. ˈcarping, ppl. a.
That carps; fault-finding, censorious, captious.
| 1581 Sidney Apol. Poetrie (Arb.) 48 Their carping dis⁓prayse. c 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, iv. i. 90 With enuious carping tongue. 1730 Ld. Lansdowne To Mem. Waller 20 No carping critic interrupts his praise. 1865 Trollope Belton Est. xi. 120 That carping spirit in which she had been wont to judge of his actions. |
¶ Confused with carking ppl. a.
| 1580 T. Marshall in Farr S.P. (1845) II. 312 With carpyng cares did call and crie. a 1703 Burkitt On N.T. Luke xii. 30 By our carping care. |
Hence ˈcarpingly adv., in a carping way.
| 1579 J. Rogers (title), An answer unto a wicked..Libel made by Christopher Vitell..carpingly answering to certain points. 1577–86 Holinshed Chron. Irel. (1808) VI. 13 Through his procurement carpinglie published. 1755 in Johnson. |