Adjacent Words

Argument definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

'ARGUMENT, n. [L. argumentum.]
1. A reason offered for or against a proposition, opinion, or measure; a reason offered in proof, to induce belief, or convince the mind; followed by for or against.
2. In logic, an inference drawn from premises, which are indisputable, or at least of probable truth.
3. The subject of a discourse or writing.
4. An abstract or summary of a book, or the heads of the subjects.
5. A debate or discussion; a series of reasoning; as, an argument was had before the court, in which argument, all the reasons were urged.
6. In astronomy, an arch by which we seek another unknown arch, proportional to the first.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a fact or assertion offered as evidence that something is true; "it was a strong argument that his hypothesis was true" [syn: argument, statement]
2: a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong disagreement; "they were involved in a violent argument" [syn: controversy, contention, contestation, disputation, disceptation, tilt, argument, arguing]
3: a discussion in which reasons are advanced for and against some proposition or proposal; "the argument over foreign aid goes on and on" [syn: argument, argumentation, debate]
4: a summary of the subject or plot of a literary work or play or movie; "the editor added the argument to the poem" [syn: argument, literary argument]
5: (computer science) a reference or value that is passed to a function, procedure, subroutine, command, or program [syn: argument, parameter]
6: a variable in a logical or mathematical expression whose value determines the dependent variable; if f(x)=y, x is the independent variable
7: a course of reasoning aimed at demonstrating a truth or falsehood; the methodical process of logical reasoning; "I can't follow your line of reasoning" [syn: argumentation, logical argument, argument, line of reasoning, line]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin argumentum, from arguere Date: 14th century 1. obsolete an outward sign ; indication 2. a. a reason given in proof or rebuttal b. discourse intended to persuade 3. a. the act or process of arguing ; argumentation b. a coherent series of statements leading from a premise to a conclusion c. quarrel, disagreement 4. an abstract or summary especially of a literary work <a later editor added an argument to the poem> 5. the subject matter especially of a literary work 6. a. one of the independent variables upon whose value that of a function depends b. a substantive (as the direct object of a transitive verb) that is required by a predicate in grammar c. amplitude 4

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 an exchange of views, esp. a contentious or prolonged one. 2 (often foll. by for, against) a reason advanced; a reasoning process (an argument for abolition). 3 a summary of the subject-matter or line of reasoning of a book. 4 Math. an independent variable determining the value of a function. Etymology: ME f. OF f. L argumentum f. arguere (as ARGUE, -MENT)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Argument Ar"gu*ment, n. [F. argument, L. argumentum, fr. arguere to argue.] 1. Proof; evidence. [Obs.] There is.. no more palpable and convincing argument of the existence of a Deity. --Ray. Why, then, is it made a badge of wit and an argument of parts for a man to commence atheist, and to cast off all belief of providence, all awe and reverence for religion? --South. 2. A reason or reasons offered in proof, to induce belief, or convince the mind; reasoning expressed in words; as, an argument about, concerning, or regarding a proposition, for or in favor of it, or against it. 3. A process of reasoning, or a controversy made up of rational proofs; argumentation; discussion; disputation. The argument is about things, but names. --Locke. 4. The subject matter of a discourse, writing, or artistic representation; theme or topic; also, an abstract or summary, as of the contents of a book, chapter, poem. You and love are still my argument. --Shak. The abstract or argument of the piece. --Jeffrey. [Shields] with boastful argument portrayed. --Milton. 5. Matter for question; business in hand. [Obs.] Sheathed their swords for lack of argument. --Shak. 6. (Astron.) The quantity on which another quantity in a table depends; as, the altitude is the argument of the refraction. 7. (Math.) The independent variable upon whose value that of a function depends. --Brande & C.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Argument Ar"gu*ment ([a^]r"g[-u]*ment), v. i. [L. argumentari.] To make an argument; to argue. [Obs.] --Gower.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(arguments) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. An argument is a statement or set of statements that you use in order to try to convince people that your opinion about something is correct. There's a strong argument for lowering the price... The doctors have set out their arguments against the proposals... N-VAR: oft N for/against n/-ing, N that 2. An argument is a discussion or debate in which a number of people put forward different or opposing opinions. The incident has triggered fresh arguments about the role of the extreme right in France... = debate N-VAR: oft N about/over n 3. An argument is a conversation in which people disagree with each other angrily or noisily. Anny described how she got into an argument with one of the marchers. ...a heated argument. N-COUNT: oft N with n, N between pl-n 4. If you accept something without argument, you do not question it or disagree with it. He complied without argument... = question N-UNCOUNT: with brd-neg 5. see also counter-argument

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Reason, ground, proof, evidence, reasoning, chain of reasoning, process of reasoning. 2. Controversy, dispute, disputation, discussion, debate. 3. Subject, topic, matter, theme, thesis, question, subject-matter, matter in hand. 4. Summary, abstract, epitome, outline, general contents.

Foolish Dictionary

Breaking and entering the ear, assault and battery on the brain and disturbing the peace.

Moby Thesaurus

Kilkenny cats, action, addend, affray, altercation, anagnorisis, angle, answer, antilogarithm, apologetics, apologia, apology, architectonics, architecture, argumentation, argumentum, assertion, atmosphere, background, barney, base, basis, bicker, bickering, binomial, blood feud, brawl, broil, case, casuistry, cat-and-dog life, catastrophe, characteristic, characterization, claim, coefficient, color, combat, combination, complement, complication, conflict, congruence, cons, consideration, constant, contention, contentiousness, contest, contestation, continuity, contrivance, controversy, cosine, cotangent, counterstatement, cube, cut and thrust, debate, decimal, defence, defense, demurrer, denial, denominator, denouement, derivative, design, determinant, development, device, difference, differential, disagreement, discriminate, disputation, dispute, dissension, dividend, divisor, donnybrook, donnybrook fair, e, elenchus, embroilment, enmity, episode, equation, evidence, exception, exponent, exponential, fable, factor, falling action, falling-out, feud, fight, fighting, fliting, flyting, formula, foundation, fracas, fray, function, fuss, gimmick, ground, hassle, head, hostility, hubbub, hurrah, i, ignoratio elenchi, imbroglio, incident, increment, index, integral, line, litigation, local color, logic, logomachy, matrix, matter, minuend, mood, motif, motive, movement, multiple, multiplier, mythos, norm, numerator, objection, open quarrel, paper war, parameter, passage of arms, peripeteia, permutation, pi, plaidoyer, plan, plea, pleading, pleadings, plot, point, polemic, polemics, polynomial, position, posture, power, proof, proposition, pros, pros and cons, quarrel, quarreling, quarrelsomeness, quaternion, quotient, radical, radix, reason, rebuttal, reciprocal, recognition, refutation, remainder, reply, response, rhubarb, riposte, rising action, root, row, rumpus, scheme, scrap, scrapping, secant, secondary plot, set-to, sharp words, sine, slanging match, slant, snarl, spat, special demurrer, special pleading, squabble, squabbling, stance, standpoint, statement, statement of defense, story, strife, structure, struggle, subject, subject matter, submultiple, subplot, subtrahend, summation, summing up, switch, talking point, tangent, tensor, testimony, text, thematic development, theme, thesis, tiff, tone, topic, tussle, twist, variable, vector, vendetta, verbal engagement, versine, war, war of words, warfare, wherefore, why, whyfor, words, wrangle, wrangling