Part 354

Men of many words sometimes argue for the sake of talking; men of ready tongues frequently dispute for the sake of victory; men in public life often debate for the sake of opposing the ruling party, or from any other motive than the love of truth. Crabb.

Unskilled to argue, in dispute yet loud, Bold without caution, without honors proud. Falconer.

Betwixt the dearest friends to raise debate. Dryden.

Ar"gu*er (&?;), n. One who argues; a reasoner; a disputant.

Ar"gu*fy (&?;), v. t. & i. [Argue + -fy.] 1. To argue pertinaciously. [Colloq.] Halliwell.

2. To signify. [Colloq.]

||Ar"gu*lus (&?;), n. [NL., dim of Argus.] (Zoöl.) A genus of copepod Crustacea, parasitic of fishes; a fish louse. See Branchiura.

Ar"gu*ment (&?;), n. [F. argument, L. argumentum, fr. arguere to argue.] 1. Proof; evidence. [Obs.]

There is.. no more palpable and convincing argument of the existence of a Deity. Ray.

Why, then, is it made a badge of wit and an argument of parts for a man to commence atheist, and to cast off all belief of providence, all awe and reverence for religion? South.

2. A reason or reasons offered in proof, to induce belief, or convince the mind; reasoning expressed in words; as, an argument about, concerning, or regarding a proposition, for or in favor of it, or against it.

3. A process of reasoning, or a controversy made up of rational proofs; argumentation; discussion; disputation.

The argument is about things, but names. Locke.

4. The subject matter of a discourse, writing, or artistic representation; theme or topic; also, an abstract or summary, as of the contents of a book, chapter, poem.

You and love are still my argument. Shak.

The abstract or argument of the piece. Jeffrey.

5. Matter for question; business in hand. [Obs.]

Sheathed their swords for lack of argument. Shak.

6. (Astron.) The quantity on which another quantity in a table depends; as, the altitude is the argument of the refraction.

7. (Math.) The independent variable upon whose value that of a function depends. Brande & C.

<! p. 81 !>

Ar"gu*ment (r"g*ment), v. i. [L. argumentari.] To make an argument; to argue. [Obs.] Gower.

Ar`gu*men"ta*ble (-men"t*b'l), a. [L. argumentabilis.] Admitting of argument. [R.] Chalmers.

Ar`gu*men"tal (&?;), a. [L. argumentalis.] Of, pertaining to, or containing, argument; argumentative.

Ar`gu*men*ta"tion (&?;), n. [L. argumentatio, from argumentari: cf. F. argumentation.] 1. The act of forming reasons, making inductions, drawing conclusions, and applying them to the case in discussion; the operation of inferring propositions, not known or admitted as true, from facts or principles known, admitted, or proved to be true.

Which manner of argumentation, how false and naught it is, . . . every man that hath with perceiveth. Tyndale.

2. Debate; discussion.

Syn. -- Reasoning; discussion; controversy. See Reasoning.