argue Definition
ar·gue (är′gyo̵̅o̅)
intransitive verb -·gued, -·gu·ing
- to give reasons (for or against a proposal, proposition, etc.)
- to have a disagreement; quarrel; dispute
Etymology: 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
- to give reasons for and against; discuss; debate
- to try to prove by giving reasons; maintain; contend
- to give evidence of; seem to prove; indicate his manners argue a good upbringing
- to persuade (into or out of an opinion, etc.) by giving reasons
argue Related Forms
argue Synonyms
argue
v.
To endeavor to convince
plead, appeal, assert, maintain, claim, hold, explain, justify, elucidate, present, show, support, reason with, dispute, contend, oppose, demonstrate, establish, join issue, make a case for, put up an argument*. To discuss
debate, discuss, talk about, clarify; see sense 1, discuss.To quarrel
dispute, contend, fight, bicker; see quarrel. See syn. study atdiscuss.
argue Usage Examples
Object
- entrepreneurship: It argues that entrepreneurship can be seen as a special form of employability.
- case: We urge DCMS to strongly argue the case for an improved SSA for libraries in the current Spending Review.
- 'it: Mr Pring argues that âit is all about availability of loans and interest rates.
- merit: None of the projects seem to argue the merits of this approach.
- capitalism: Those who argued that capitalism could slowly and gradually reform and improve itself have been shown to be wrong.
- point: Do you think you can argue a point of view with clarity?
Preposition: that
- conservative: Danny Kruger argues that the Conservatives need to be the Wikipedia party, compared to Labor's Encyclopedia Galactica.
- distinction: This dichotomy has recently been questioned by some linguists who have argued that the distinction is an artificial one.
- failure: It is argued that the failure to observe these distinctions has led to an unnecessarily narrow view of attribution research and therapy.
Modifying Another Word
- convincingly: Vegetarian Diet - So Easy to Follow This guide argues convincingly that meat and dairy are the worst foods to feed to children.
- persuasively: He argued persuasively: 'It is not a fact that narrative is always boring or an inartistic excrescence upon the form of radio drama.
- cogently: Phillips cogently argues that it also directly impacts on presidential elections and on American foreign policy.
Followed by an intransitive particle
over: Whether a vacuum existed was a question which had been argued over for centuries.
Used with why or when
that: Argentina are still favorites, and to argue that would seem ' silly ' to some people.
Preposition: in
favor: Fred Harrison argues in favor of taxing land rather than income.
Preposition: with
ref: Jerome argued with the ref and you could understand why.
Preposition: for
- interpretation: There may also be circumstances in which the Board would find it necessary to argue for a different interpretation in appeal proceedings.
- inclusion: The study argued for the inclusion of the pagan viewpoint within a consideration of spirituality on counselor training courses.
- reform: In Scotland Davidson made the first of the public protests that were to define his life, arguing for Parliamentary reform.
- importance: In a separate issue, Spain, interestingly, argued for the importance of Relative Stability in its dispute with Italy over blue-fin tuna.
Browse dictionary entries near argue
- arguendo ›
- argufy ›
- argument ›
- argumentation ›
- argumentative ›
- argumentum ›
- Argus ›
- Argus-eyed ›
- argy-bargy ›
- argyle ›

