argue

From Middle English arguen, from Old French arguer, from Latin arguere (“to declare, show, prove, make clear, reprove, accuse”), q.v. for more. Displaced native Old English flītan and reċċan.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɑː.ɡjuː/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɑɹ.ɡju/

• Audio (General American):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)ɡju

argue (third-person singular simple present argues, present participle arguing, simple past and past participle argued)

1. To show grounds for concluding (that); to indicate, imply.
   • 1910, Saki [pseudonym; Hector Hugh Munro], “The Soul of Laploshka”, in Reginald in Russia and Other Sketches, London: Methuen & Co. , →OCLC, page 69:

     To have killed Laploshka was one thing; to have kept his beloved money would have argued a callousness of feeling of which I was not capable.

   • 1997, Rufa'i Ahmed Alkali, The World Bank and Nigeria, page 10:

     Yusuf Bangura argues that the contractocracy thesis merely falls within what he called "third option" explanation.

2. (intransitive) To debate, disagree, or discuss opposing or differing viewpoints; to controvert; to wrangle.

   He also argued for stronger methods to be used against China.

   He argued as follows: America should stop Lend-Lease convoying, because it needs to fortify its own Army with the supplies.

   The two boys argued over a disagreement about the science project.

   • 2022 October 28, Charles Hugh Smith, What Does Liberation Mean in the Real World?‎:

     There is no arguing with true believers in any ideology or arrangement in which the self-interest of those in power is the organizing principle of the system.

3. (intransitive) To have an argument, a quarrel.
4. (transitive) To present (a viewpoint or an argument therefor).

   He argued his point.

   He argued that America should stop Lend-Lease convoying because it needed to fortify its own Army with the supplies.

   • 2018, Kristin Lawless, Formerly known as food, →ISBN, page 192:

     Food manufacturers would argue that food additives and chemical-laden packaging extend shelf life, keep food production costs down, and enhance flavors; chemical manufacturers would argue that their various pesticides and herbicides protect crops and help farmers.

5. (obsolete, transitive) To prove.
6. (obsolete, transitive) To accuse.

• argument
• argumentative
• argumentation

• “argue”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “argue”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

• Auger, Gauer, Graue, auger, augre, rugae

Inherited from Latin *arganum (“capstan”), variation of organum (“instrument, tool”).

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic)
• IPA^(key): (Valencia)

argue m (plural argues)

1. winch, windlass

• arganell
• àrguens
• òrgan

• “argue” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

• 丫撬 (aa¹ giu⁴)

From English argue. Doublet of 拗撬 (aau³ giu⁶).

argue

1. (Hong Kong Cantonese) to argue

   • 我唔敢同佢argue架 [Cantonese, trad. and simp.]

     From: 2021, Adrian Blackledge and Angela Creese, Recontextualisation and advocacy in the translation zone, Text & Talk, volume 41, number 1, page 14

     ngo⁵ m⁴ gam² tung⁴ keoi⁵ aa¹ giu⁴ gaa³

     I don't dare argue with him

• English Loanwords in Hong Kong Cantonese

• IPA^(key): /aʁ.ɡy/

• Audio:

  (file)

argue

1. inflection of arguer:
   1. first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
   2. second-person singular imperative

• auger, Auger
• urgea

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈar.ɡu.e/,
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈar.ɡu.e/,

argue

1. second-person singular present active imperative of arguō