"This is what I believe you would refer to as hair splitting."

The new translation of the Bible required a similar degree of hair splitting.

Another definition is the "bureaucratic practice of hair splitting or foot dragging, blamed by its practitioners on the system that forces them to follow prescribed procedures to the letter".

Distinctions between coup support and other covert actions may strike some as hair splitting.

However unpopular his hair splitting, the case highlighted a reality of modern legal culture: Sexual acts are grounds for litigious scrutiny far more often - and in far more detail - than most people realize.

"We're absolutely confident that when this thing goes through the F.E.C. process," Mr. Collins said, "virtually all of these recommendations are going to be rejected because their interpretation is such hair splitting."

Mainland China is not having any of this English linguistic hair splitting.

Not trusting her judgment and talent was just another form of hair splitting.

I'm not condoning copyright infringement, but to disparage that clarification as "hair splitting" does a disservice to your argument.

But this is an age of hair splitting.