argue

To argue is to state reasons or facts for or against a person or thought.

(verb)

An example of argue is when a lawyer defends a client’s innocence in court.

Argue is defined as to verbally disagree with someone.

(verb)

An example of argue is to have a dispute with your spouse over whose turn it is to wash dishes.

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See argue in Webster's New World College Dictionary

intransitive verb argued, arguing

  1. to give reasons (for or against a proposal, proposition, etc.)
  2. to have a disagreement; quarrel; dispute

Origin: ME arguen < OFr arguer < VL argutare, for L argutari, to prattle, freq. of arguere, to make clear, prove < IE base *ar(e)g-, gleaming (see argent); OFr meaning and form infl. by arguere

transitive verb

  1. to give reasons for and against; discuss; debate
  2. to try to prove by giving reasons; maintain; contend
  3. to give evidence of; seem to prove; indicate: his manners argue a good upbringing
  4. to persuade (into or out of an opinion, etc.) by giving reasons

Related Forms:

See argue in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb ar·gued, ar·gu·ing, ar·gues
verb, transitive
  1. To put forth reasons for or against; debate: “It is time to stop arguing tax-rate reductions and to enact them” (Paul Craig Roberts).
  2. To attempt to prove by reasoning; maintain or contend: The speaker argued that more immigrants should be admitted to the country.
  3. To give evidence of; indicate: “Similarities cannot always be used to argue descent” (Isaac Asimov).
  4. To persuade or influence (another), as by presenting reasons: argued the clerk into lowering the price.
verb, intransitive
  1. To put forth reasons for or against something: argued for dismissal of the case; argued against an immediate counterattack.
  2. To engage in a quarrel; dispute.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English arguen

Origin: , from Old French arguer

Origin: , from Latin argūtāre, to babble, chatter

Origin: , frequentative of arguere, to make clear; see arg- in Indo-European roots

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Related Forms:

  • arˈgu·er noun

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