argue, v.
(ˈɑːgjuː)
4–; also 4 arguwe, 5 argwe, 6 argoue, argew.
[a. OF. argue-r:—L. argūtāre, freq. of argu-ĕre to make clear, prove, assert, accuse, blame; of which latter Fr. arguer and Eng. argue are now taken as the equivalents.]
I. To bring evidence, convict, prove, indicate.
† 1. To make good an accusation against, prove wrong or guilty, convict. Const. of Obs.
| c 1400 Apol. Loll. 31 Þat þe prest be miȝti to..argu hem þat aȝen seyn þe feiþ. 1576 J. Woolton Chr. Manual (1851) 8 [They] dissent from themselves, and with their life argue their tongue of untruth. 1582 N. T. (Rhem.) John viii. 46 Which of you shal argue me of sinne. 1660 Stanley Hist. Philos. (1701) 171/2 He, not to argue him of Perjury, affirmed, etc. |
† 2. trans. To accuse, impeach, arraign, find fault with, call in question. Const. of. Obs.
| c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. vii. vi. 79 And argwyd hym rycht scharply. 1513 Douglas æneis xiii. vi. 173 Not ȝou, nor ȝit the kyng.. Will I argew of this maneir offens. 1643 Sir T. Browne Relig. Med. 127 Nor would we argue the definitive sentence of God. 1692 Ray Disc. ii. v. (1732) 213 Erroneously argues Hubert Thomas..of a mistake. |
3. To prove or evince; to afford good ground for inferring, show weighty reasons for supposing; to betoken, indicate. (Passing from prove in early use to evidence or imply in modern use.) a. a person or thing to be so-and-so.
| 1494 Fabyan vi. clxxxiv. 182 But that proueth nat or argueth hym to be the firste. 1593 Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, ii. ii. 25 Which argued thee a most vnlouing Father. 1667 Milton P.L. iv. 831 Not to know mee argues your selves unknown. 1703 Maundrell Journ. Jerus. (1732) App. 8 Which seem to argue it to be ancient. 1877 L. Morris Epic Hades i. 55 The gems Which argued her a Queen. |
b. that it is.
| 1585 Abp. Sandys Serm. (1841) 178 That we are delivered..argueth that we once were in their hands. 1639 Fuller Holy War iv. xxvi. (1647) 214 The speedy withering of their religion argueth it wanted root. 1690 Locke Hum. Und. ii. xxi. §54 Contrary choices that Men make in the World, do not argue that they do not all pursue Good. |
c. with simple object.
| 1538 Starkey England 74 Thys rudeness and barrennes of the ground arguth..neclygent idulnes. 1593 Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, iii. iii. 30 So bad a death, argues a monstrous life. 1642 Fuller Holy & Prof. St. ii. iv. 60 Such purulent spittle argues exulcerated lungs. 1702 Eng. Theophrast. 181 Imitation argues esteem, a desire of equality argues envy. 1879 Maclear Celts xi. 181 Nor..did the use of this material argue poverty. |
II. To bring reasons, to reason, dispute.
4. intr. To bring forward reasons concerning a matter in debate; to make statements or adduce facts for the purpose of establishing or refuting a proposition; to discuss; to reason.
| 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 6436 He [the executor] argueþ vpon þys skylle And byt þe dede answere þartylle. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xii. 122 Aristotle and oþere to arguen ich tauhte. 1413 Lydg. Pylgr. Sowle ii. lxiv. (1859) 59 Now arguest thou folyly; for thy reson is more to my purpos than it is to thyne. 1525 Ld. Berners Froiss. II. xxvi. 76 He argued in himselfe, and was full of malencoly. 1665 Glanvill Sceps. Sci. 54 His philosophy and faculty of arguing. 1855 Kingsley Lett. (1878) I. 442 He would argue by the hour, but never for arguing sake. |
b. Hence, To reason in opposition, raise objections, contend, dispute.
| 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. XVII. 115 Quath Actyf þo al angry⁓liche · and argueynge as hit were, ‘What is pouerte pacient?’ 1605 Bacon Adv. Learn. i. ii. §1 More ready to argue than to obey. 1713 Steele Guard. No. 17 ¶7 The virgin argued no longer. 1861 Geo. Eliot Silas M. 63 ‘Confound it, sir, don't stay arguing, but go and order my horse.’ |
c. Const., with (in general sense), against (in direct opposition to the position of), an opponent; for or against a proposition; about (of obs.) a matter under discussion.
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus ii. 645 She gan in her herte argue Of this matere. c 1430 Babees Bk. 11 Argue not aȝen þat. 1477 Earl Rivers (Caxton) Dictes 139 Better..to holde his peas than to contrarye and argue with a foole. 1535 Coverdale Job xxxvi. 4 The knowledge wherwithall I argue agaynst the. 1667 Milton P.L. ii. 562 Of good and evil much they argu'd then. 1710 Lady Montague Lett. lxvii. 111, I am not..arguing for an equality of the two sexes. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 118 ¶3 I'd give ten Pounds to hear her argue with my Friend..about Trade. 1756 Burke Vind. Nat. Soc. Wks. I. 13 They argue against a fair discussion of popular prejudices. 1795 Southey Maid of Orl. iii. 33 And argue thence of kingdoms overthrown, And desolated nations. 1847 [see 8]. |
5. trans. To bring forward the reasons for or against (a proposition, etc.); to discuss the pros and cons of; to treat by reasoning, examine controversially.
| 1494 Fabyan v. xcix. 72 The sayd causes warre well and sufficiently argued. 1613 Shakes. Hen. VIII, ii. i. 168 Wee are too open heere to argue this. 1725 De Foe Voy. round World (1840) 27, I laid it all before them again, arguing every part of it..clearly. 1732 Berkeley Alciphr. v. §34 If our tenets are absurd, we allow them to be freely argued. 1883 Marquis of Salisbury Sp. in Parl. 17 July, I do not see that it is my business to argue the legal considerations adverted to. |
6. With subord. clause. To maintain, by adducing reasons, the proposition or opinion that.
| 1548 Geste Pr. Masse 90 In consideration wherof he argueth, yf Christ shuld be often offered, nedes must he oft suffer. 1574 tr. Littleton's Tenures 101 a, Peradventure some will argue..y{supt} he shall have no writ. 1711 Spect. No. 2 ¶3 He will often argue that if this Part of our Trade were well cultivated, we should gain. 1847 J. Yeowell Anc. Brit. Ch. iii. 24 He is arguing with the Jews, that the Messiah..was already come. |
7. trans. To bring forward as a reason (for or against), to use as an argument. arch.
| 1626 Shirley Brothers iii. i, What can she argue to thy birth or person? 1722 De Foe Hist. Plague (1754) 11 He told me the same thing, which I argued for my staying..was the strongest Repulse to my Pretensions. |
8. to argue (a thing) away, off, etc.: to get rid of by argument.
| 1713 Guardian No. 60 Which..have clearly argued that animal out of the creation. 1719 Young Revenge i. i, We call on wit to argue it away. 1865 D. W. Thompson Odds and Ends, Men..would argue a dog's tail off. |
9. to argue (a person) into or out of: to persuade him by argument into, or out of, a course of action, an opinion or intention.
| 1685 Congreve Old Bachel. Ded. (J.) A sort of poetical logick..to argue you into a protection of this play. Mod. He was argued out of his opposition. |