[Grammar] nitpick

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Kotfor

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With what prepositions can "nitpick" be used as a verb?

1) He likes to nitpick at me.
2) He likes to nitpick on me.
3) He likes to nitpick me.
 

bhaisahab

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With what prepositions can "nitpick" be used as a verb?

1) He likes to nitpick at me.
2) He likes to nitpick on me.
3) He likes to nitpick me.

What are you trying to say with "nitpick"?
 

Kotfor

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to criticize by focusing on inconsequential details.
 

bhaisahab

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They are all unnatural. You could say "He nitpicks all the time".
 

Kotfor

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They are all unnatural. You could say "He nitpicks all the time".
What if a speaker needs to mention the addressee of the nitpicking how the speaker is supposed to do that? He nitpicks all the time. doesn't mention it.
 

bhaisahab

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What if a speaker needs to mention the addressee of the nitpicking how the speaker is supposed to do that? He nitpicks all the time. doesn't mention it.

"He nitpicks about everything I say."
 

SoothingDave

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I don't have a problem with "he nitpicks me."
 

Barb_D

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For me, it's more natural to use a direct object, but not a person as that object.

He nitpicks everything I say.
He nitpicks everything I write.

This is likely one of those words that gets used differently and since it's a rather informal word, I couldn't say that I find either bhai's use or Dave's use "wrong."
 

MikeNewYork

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I am more familiar with the intransitive use "nitpick". I would go with bhai's use.
 

Tdol

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I'd mostly use it intransitively or like Barb, though He nitpicks me makes perfect sense. Maybe it's time to start using it.
 
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