argue
pronunciation
How to pronounce argue in British English:
UK [ˈɑːɡjuː]
How to pronounce argue in American English:
US [ˈɑːrɡjuː]
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- Verb:
- present reasons and arguments
- have an argument about something
- give evidence of
Word Origin
- argue
- argue: [14] English acquired argue and its various meanings via rather complex paths, but its ultimate origin is straightforward: the Latin verb arguere derived from a prehistoric Indo- European base *arg- ‘be white, bright, or clear’ (source also of Latin argentum ‘silver’, and thus of French argent ‘money’); it therefore meant primarily ‘make clear’, but this subsequently developed into ‘assert, prove’.A frequentative form (that is, one denoting repeated action) evolved, argutāre; this signified ‘make repeated assertions or accusations’. This passed into medieval French as arguer ‘accuse, blame’, and also ‘bring forward reasons for an assertion’, and thence into English. The meaning ‘accuse’ died out in English in the late 17th century, leaving ‘reasoning, discussing’ as the main sense of argue.Meanwhile, original Latin arguere had made its presence felt in establishing the sense ‘prove’ in English, now somewhat weakened to ‘imply, indicate’ (as in ‘Their lack of involvement argues indifference’). The sense ‘quarrel’ seems to have developed from ‘discuss’ in the 17th century.
- argue (v.)
- c. 1300, "to make reasoned statements to prove or refute a proposition," from Old French arguer "maintain an opinion or view; harry, reproach, accuse, blame" (12c.), from Latin argutare "to prattle, prate," frequentative of arguere "make clear, make known, prove, declare, demonstrate," from PIE *argu-yo-, from root *arg- "to shine, be white, bright, clear" (see argent). Meaning "to oppose, dispute" is from late 14c. Related: Argued; arguing.
Example
- 1. Some argue that social media improves diplomatic preparedness .
- 2. Others argue that zheng 's record is more complex .
- 3. Jakarta would argue that it has little choice .
- 4. You can 't argue with another 's perceptions .
- 5. Others argue that gm and chrysler are exceptionally politicised .