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argue definition

ar·gue (är′gyo̵̅o̅)

intransitive verb argued -·gued, arguing -·gu·ing

  1. to give reasons (for or against a proposal, proposition, etc.)
  2. 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

  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:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

argue Synonyms

argue

v.

  1. 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*.

  2. To discuss

    debate, discuss, talk about, clarify; see sense 1, discuss.

  3. To quarrel

    dispute, contend, fight, bicker; see quarrel. See syn. study atdiscuss.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

argue Usage Examples

Object

  • entrepreneurship: It argues that entrepreneurship can be seen as a special form of employability.

Preposition: that

  • conservative: Danny Kruger argues that the Conservatives need to be the Wikipedia party, compared to Labor's Encyclopedia Galactica.

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.

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: for

  • interpretation: There may also be circumstances in which the Board would find it necessary to argue for a different interpretation in appeal proceedings.
argue usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

argue quotes

You can't argue with a river, it isgoing to flow.You can dam it up†put it to useful purposes†deflect it, but you can't argue with it.

-Acheson, Dean Gooderham

I count our progress by the extent to which what we cried in the wilderness five and thirty years ago has now become part of the assumptions of the ordinary man and woman† It is better to argue from what has been done to what may be done, rather than to suggest that very little has been accomplished.

-1st Earl

Argue for your limitations, and sure enough, they're yours.

-Bach, Richard

argue quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"argue." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/argue>

APA Style

argue. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/argue

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