discuss
verb (used with object)
- to collect a debt from (the person primarily liable) before proceeding against the person secondarily liable.
- to execute against the movable property of (a debtor) before proceeding against the debtor's immovable property, as land.
Origin of discuss
synonym study for discuss
OTHER WORDS FROM discuss
Words nearby discuss
VOCAB BUILDER
What does discuss mean?
Discuss means to have a conversation about or talk about a particular topic, especially to examine it more closely, debate it, or figure out a solution.
You can discuss something with another person or multiple people, or you can discuss something by talking or writing about it for an audience. Discuss tends to be used in contexts in which the topic is at least somewhat serious. The noun form of discuss is discussion.
Example: Listen, class, the purpose of breaking into small groups is to discuss your projects—not to chat about your personal life.
Where does discuss come from?
The first records of discuss come from the 1300s. It comes from the Latin word discussus, meaning “struck apart,” “shaken,” or “scattered.” Discussus derives from the Latin verb discutere, which is formed from the prefix dis-, meaning “apart,” and cutere, a form of the verb quatere, “to shake” or “to strike.”
This origin provides a great image for what it means to discuss something. When two or more people discuss something, they are often said to be hashing it out, meaning they are laying out all the issues and perhaps analyzing and even debating each one. This is done so that everyone in the conversation has the same information, and especially so that they can come to a conclusion about or a solution for the thing being discussed. To discuss something in this way is synonymous with the term talk it over.
But you can also discuss a topic without having a conversation. Discuss can simply mean “to talk or write about a particular topic (for a perceived or real audience),” as in During this presentation, I will discuss the long-term effects of reading to children or The cases discussed in this paper are all related.
In all cases, using the word discuss usually implies that the topic is at least somewhat serious, formal, or academic.
Discuss also has a few more specific but much less common uses that relate to the collection of debt. Very rarely, discuss can also mean “to eat or drink enthusiastically.”
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What are some other forms of discuss?
- discussion (noun)
- discusser (noun)
- discussant (noun)
- discussible (adjective)
- discussable (adjective)
What are some synonyms for discuss?
- talk about
- converse
- deliberate
What are some words that share a root or word element with discuss?
What are some words that often get used in discussing discuss?
How is discuss used in real life?
Discuss is most commonly in the context of a conversation between two or more people, especially something serious, but it is also commonly used to refer to talking about a topic in a presentation or something written.
District officials will hold a conference call at 9 tonight and again at 5 a.m. Wednesday to discuss weather conditions and make decisions on the school schedule.
— Portland Public Schools (@PPSConnect) February 21, 2018
@Just_Benj And to you as well. We'll be in touch to discuss the matter in private. Perhaps without this character limit as well. 😂
— Taylor Golden (@TaylorMcKennon) January 8, 2014
When you ask a stupid question (or questions) related to things already discussed in the presentation. #adult meetings
— sassy pants (@caffeineNsnark) April 20, 2016
Try using discuss!
Is discuss used correctly in the following sentence?
Local politicians meet up on the first Friday of each month to discuss how to increase voter participation in the region.