argue

[ ahr-gyoo ]
/ ˈɑr gyu /

verb (used without object), ar·gued, ar·gu·ing.

to present reasons for or against a thing: He argued in favor of capital punishment.
to contend in oral disagreement; dispute: The senator argued with the president about the new tax bill.

verb (used with object), ar·gued, ar·gu·ing.

to state the reasons for or against: The lawyers argued the case.
to maintain in reasoning: to argue that the news report must be wrong.
to persuade, drive, etc., by reasoning: to argue someone out of a plan.
to show; prove; imply; indicate: His clothes argue poverty.

Origin of argue

1275–1325; Middle English < Anglo-French, Old French arguer < Latin argūtāre, -ārī, frequentative of arguere to prove, assert, accuse (Medieval Latin: argue, reason), though Latin frequentative form attested only in sense “babble, chatter”

synonym study for argue

1, 2. Argue, debate, discuss imply using reasons or proofs to support or refute an assertion, proposition, or principle. Argue implies presenting one's reasons: The scientists argued for a safer testing procedure; it may also imply disputing in an angry or excited way: His parents argue all the time. To discuss is to present varied opinions and views: to discuss ways and means. To debate is to interchange formal (usually opposing) arguments, especially on public questions: to debate a proposed amendment.

OTHER WORDS FROM argue

Words nearby argue

argosy, argot, argovie, arguable, arguably, argue, argufy, argument, argumentation, argumentative, argumentum

Example sentences from the Web for well-argued

  • In spite of this weighty and well-argued statement, my own opinion is that the preponderance of evidence is in favour of rest.

    The Boy's Voice |J. Spencer Curwen

British Dictionary definitions for well-argued (1 of 2)

well-argued

adjective (well argued when postpositive)

having been reasoned, proposed, or debated convincingly

British Dictionary definitions for well-argued (2 of 2)

argue
/ (ˈɑːɡjuː) /

verb -gues, -guing or -gued

(intr) to quarrel; wrangle they were always arguing until I arrived
(intr; often foll by for or against) to present supporting or opposing reasons or cases in a dispute; reason
(tr; may take a clause as object) to try to prove by presenting reasons; maintain
(tr; often passive) to debate or discuss the case was fully argued before agreement was reached
(tr) to persuade he argued me into going
(tr) to give evidence of; suggest her looks argue despair

Derived forms of argue

arguer, noun

Word Origin for argue

C14: from Old French arguer to assert, charge with, from Latin arguere to make clear, accuse; related to Latin argūtus clear, argentum silver