Adjacent Words

Dispute definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

DISPUTE, v.i. [L. Dispute is radically very similar to debate and discuss, both of which are from beating, driving, agitation.]
1. To contend in argument; to reason or argue in opposition; to debate; to altercate; and to dispute violently is to wrangle. Paul disputed with the Jews int he synagogue. The disciples of Christ disputed among themselves who should be the greatest. Men often dispute about trifles.
2. To strive or contend in opposition in a competitor; as, we disputed for the prize.
DISPUTE, v.t.
1. To attempt to disprove by arguments or statements; to attempt to prove to be false, unfounded or erroneous; to controvert; to attempt to overthrow by reasoning. We dispute assertions, opinions, arguments or statements, when we endeavor to prove them false or unfounded. We dispute the validity of a title or claim. Hence to dispute a cause or case with another, is to endeavor to maintain ones own opinions or claims, and to overthrow those of his opponent.
2. To strive or contend for, either by words or actions; as, to dispute the honor of the day; to dispute a prize. But this phrase is elliptical, being used for dispute for, and primarily the verb is intransitive. See the Intransitive Verb, No. 2.
3. To call in question the propriety of; to oppose by reasoning. An officer is never to dispute the orders of his superior.
4. To strive to maintain; as, to dispute every inch of ground.
DISPUTE, n.
1. Strife or contest in words or by arguments; an attempt to prove and maintain ones own opinions or claims, by arguments or statements, in opposition to the opinions, arguments or claims of another; controversy in words. They had a dispute on the lawfulness of slavery, a subject which, one would think, could admit of no dispute.
Dispute is usually applied to verbal contest; controversy may be in words or writing.
Dispute is between individuals; debate and discussion are applicable to public bodies.
2. The possibility of being controverted; as in the phrase, this is a fact, beyond all dispute.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a disagreement or argument about something important; "he had a dispute with his wife"; "there were irreconcilable differences"; "the familiar conflict between Republicans and Democrats" [syn: dispute, difference, difference of opinion, conflict]
2: coming into conflict with [syn: dispute, contravention] v
1: take exception to; "She challenged his claims" [syn: challenge, dispute, gainsay]
2: have a disagreement over something; "We quarreled over the question as to who discovered America"; "These two fellows are always scrapping over something" [syn: quarrel, dispute, scrap, argufy, altercate]

Merriam Webster's

I. verb (disputed; disputing) Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French desputer, from Latin disputare to discuss, from dis- + putare to think Date: 13th century intransitive verb to engage in argument ; debate; especially to argue irritably or with irritating persistence transitive verb 1. a. to make the subject of disputation <legislators hotly disputed the bill> b. to call into question <her honesty was never disputed> 2. a. to struggle against ; oppose <disputed the advance of the invaders> b. to contend over <both sides disputed the bridgehead> • disputable adjective • disputably adverb • disputer noun II. noun Date: 1555 1. a. verbal controversy ; debate b. quarrel 2. obsolete physical combat

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. & n. --v. 1 intr. (usu. foll. by with, against) a debate, argue (was disputing with them about the meaning of life). b quarrel. 2 tr. discuss, esp. heatedly (disputed whether it was true). 3 tr. question the truth or correctness or validity of (a statement, alleged fact, etc.) (I dispute that number). 4 tr. contend for; strive to win (disputed the crown; disputed the field). 5 tr. resist (a landing, advance, etc.). --n. 1 a controversy; a debate. 2 a quarrel. 3 a disagreement between management and employees, esp. one leading to industrial action. Phrases and idioms: beyond (or past or without) dispute certainly; indisputably. in dispute 1 being argued about. 2 (of a workforce) involved in industrial action. Derivatives: disputant n. disputer n. Etymology: ME f. OF desputer f. L disputare estimate (as DIS-, putare reckon)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Dispute Dis*pute", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Disputed; p. pr. & vb. n. Disputing.] [OE. desputen, disputen, OF. desputer, disputer, F. disputer, from L. disputare, disputatum; dis- + putare to clean; hence, fig., to clear up, set in order, reckon, think. See Putative, Pure.] To contend in argument; to argue against something maintained, upheld, or claimed, by another; to discuss; to reason; to debate; to altercate; to wrangle. Therefore disputed [reasoned, --Rev. Ver.] he in synagogue with the Jews. --Acts xvii. 17.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Dispute Dis*pute", n. [Cf. F. dispute. See Dispute, v. i.] 1. Verbal controversy; contest by opposing argument or expression of opposing views or claims; controversial discussion; altercation; debate. Addicted more To contemplation and profound dispute. --Milton. 2. Contest; struggle; quarrel. --De Foe. Beyond dispute, Without dispute, indisputably; incontrovertibly. Syn: Altercation; controversy; argumentation; debate; discussion; quarrel; disagreement; difference; contention; wrangling. See Altercation.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Dispute Dis*pute", v. t. 1. To make a subject of disputation; to argue pro and con; to discuss. The rest I reserve it be disputed how the magistrate is to do herein. --Milton. 2. To oppose by argument or assertion; to attempt to overthrow; to controvert; to express dissent or opposition to; to call in question; to deny the truth or validity of; as, to dispute assertions or arguments. To seize goods under the disputed authority of writs of assistance. --Bancroft. 3. To strive or contend about; to contest. To dispute the possession of the ground with the Spaniards. --Prescott. 4. To struggle against; to resist. [Obs.] Dispute it [grief] like a man. --Shak. Syn: To controvert; contest; gainsay; doubt; question; argue; debate; discuss; impugn. See Argue.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(disputes, disputing, disputed) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. A dispute is an argument or disagreement between people or groups. They have won previous pay disputes with the government... N-VAR: usu with supp, oft N with/over n, N between pl-n 2. If you dispute a fact, statement, or theory, you say that it is incorrect or untrue. He disputed the allegations... Nobody disputed that Davey was clever... Some economists disputed whether consumer spending is as strong as the figures suggest. VERB: V n, V that, V wh 3. When people dispute something, they fight for control or ownership of it. You can also say that one group of people dispute something with another group. Russia and Ukraine have been disputing the ownership of the fleet... Fishermen from Bristol disputed fishing rights with the Danes. ...a disputed border region. V-RECIP: pl-n V n, V n with n, V-ed 4. If two or more people or groups are in dispute, they are arguing or disagreeing about something. The two countries are in dispute over the boundaries of their coastal waters... PHRASE: v-link PHR, oft PHR with n, PHR over n 5. If something is in dispute, people are questioning it or arguing about it. All those matters are in dispute and it is not for me to decide them. PHRASE: v-link PHR

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. n. 1. Debate, argue, contend in argument. 2. Bicker, wrangle, quarrel, brawl, spar, spat, jangle, squabble, tiff, fall out, have words, have an altercation. II. v. a. 1. Debate, discuss, agitate, ventilate, argue, reason about. 2. Controvert, impugn, deny, contradict, call in question, oppose by argument. 3. Contest, struggle for, make resistance on. III. n. 1. Debate, disputation, discussion, controversy. 2. Altercation, wrangle, squabble, spat, tiff, verbal contest, verbal quarrel, war of words.

Moby Thesaurus

Kilkenny cats, Socratic method, abjure, agitate, altercate, altercation, apologetics, apologia, apology, argue, argufy, argument, argumentation, asking, assert the contrary, awake a doubt, bandy words, be diffident, be doubtful, be dubious, be skeptical, be uncertain, beef, belie, bicker, bicker over, bickering, bitch, blood feud, boggle, boycott, brawl, bringing into question, broil, buck, call in question, canvass, casuistry, cat-and-dog life, catechizing, cavil, challenge, choplogic, combat, combative reaction, complain, complain loudly, complaint, conflict, confront, confute, contend, contend about, contend with, contention, contentiousness, contest, contestation, contradict, contravene, controversy, controvert, counter, counteraction, cross, cross swords, cry out against, cut and thrust, debate, defense, defiance, demonstrate, demonstrate against, demur, deny, differ, difference of opinion, disaffirm, disagree with, disagreement, disallow, disavow, discept, disclaim, discord, discuss, discussion, disown, disprove, disputation, dissension, dissent, dissent from, dissentience, distrust, disturbance, donnybrook, donnybrook fair, doubt, duel, embroilment, enmity, enter a protest, examination, expostulate, face down, face out, face up to, falling-out, feud, fight, fight against, fight over, fighting, flite, fliting, flyting, forswear, fracas, fractiousness, front, fuss, gainsay, give and take, greet with skepticism, half believe, harbor suspicions, hassle, have it out, have reservations, have words, holler, hostility, howl, hubbub, hurrah, imbroglio, impugn, inquiring, interpellation, interrogation, join issue, join issue upon, kick, kick against, litigation, lock horns, logomachize, logomachy, make a stand, march, meet head-on, miff, misgive, mistrust, moot, negativism, noncooperation, not accept, not admit, nullify, object, object to, objection, obstinacy, offer resistance, open quarrel, oppose, opposition, paper war, passage of arms, passive resistance, pettifog, picket, plead, polemic, polemicize, polemics, polemize, press objections, probing, protest, pumping, quarrel, quarrel over, quarreling, quarrelsomeness, query, querying, question, questioning, quibble, quiz, quizzing, raise a howl, raise a question, rally, reaction, rebuff, rebut, recalcitrance, recalcitrancy, recalcitrate, recalcitration, recant, refractoriness, refuse to admit, refute, reluct, reluctance, remonstrance, remonstrate, renitence, renitency, renounce, repel, repellence, repellency, repudiate, repulse, repulsion, resistance, retract, revoke, revolt, rhubarb, row, rumpus, scrapping, scruple, seeking, set to, set-to, sharp words, show fight, sit in, slanging match, smell a rat, snarl, spar, spat, squabble, squabble over, squabbling, squawk, stand, stand at bay, stand up against, stand up to, state a grievance, strife, strike, strive against, struggle, suspect, take back, take exception to, take issue with, take sides, teach in, thrash out, throw doubt upon, tiff, traverse, treat with reserve, try conclusions, tussle, uncooperativeness, vendetta, verbal engagement, war, war of words, warfare, withstand, withstanding, words, wrangle, wrangle over, wrangling, yell bloody murder