Part 400

Dis`pur*vey"ance (?), n. Want of provisions; &?;ack of food. [Obs.] Spenser.

Dis`pu*ta*ble (?; 277), a. [L. disputabilis: cf. F. disputable. See Dispute, v. i.] 1. Capable of being disputed; liable to be called in question, controverted, or contested; or doubtful certainty or propriety; controvertible; as, disputable opinions, propositions, points, or questions.

Actions, every one of which is very disputable.

Jer. Taylor.

2. Disputatious; contentious. [Obs.] Shak.

Dis`pu*ta*ble*ness, n. State of being disputable.

Dis`pu*tac"i*ty (?), n. [See Dispute, v. i.] Proneness to dispute. [Obs.] Bp. Ward.

Dis"pu*tant (?), a. [L. disputants, p. pr. of disputare: cf. F. disputant. See Dispute, v. i.] Disputing; engaged in controversy. Milton.

Dis"pu*tant, n. One who disputes; one who argues in opposition to another; one appointed to dispute; a controvertist; a reasoner in opposition.

A singularly eager, acute, and pertinacious disputant.

Macaulay.

Dis`pu*ta"tion (?), n. [OE. desputeson, disputacion, OF. desputeison, F. disputation, fr. L. disputatio. See Dispute, v. i.] 1. The act of disputing; a reasoning or argumentation in opposition to something, or on opposite sides; controversy in words; verbal contest respecting the truth of some fact, opinion, proposition, or argument.

2. A rhetorical exercise in which parties reason in opposition to each other on some question proposed.

Dis`pu*ta"tious (?), a. Inclined to dispute; apt to civil or controvert; characterized by dispute; as, a disputatious person or temper.

The Christian doctrine of a future life was no recommendation of the new religion to the wits and philosophers of that disputations period.

Buckminster.

-- Dis`pu*ta"tious*ly, adv. -- Dis`pu*ta"tious*ness, n.

Dis*put"a*tive (?), a. [L. disputativus.] Disposed to dispute; inclined to cavil or to reason in opposition; as, a disputative temper. I. Watts.

Dis*pute" (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Disputed; p. pr. & vb. n. Disputing.] [OE. desputen, disputen, OF. desputer, disputer, F. disputer, from L. disputare, disputatum; dis- + putare to clean; hence, fig., to clear up, set in order, reckon, think. See Putative, Pure.] To contend in argument; to argue against something maintained, upheld, or claimed, by another; to discuss; to reason; to debate; to altercate; to wrangle.

Therefore disputed [reasoned, Rev. Ver.] he in synagogue with the Jews.

Acts xvii. 17.

Dis*pute", v. t. 1. To make a subject of disputation; to argue pro and con; to discuss.

The rest I reserve it be disputed how the magistrate is to do herein.

Milton.

2. To oppose by argument or assertion; to attempt to overthrow; to controvert; to express dissent or opposition to; to call in question; to deny the truth or validity of; as, to dispute assertions or arguments.

To seize goods under the disputed authority of writs of assistance.

Bancroft.

3. To strive or contend about; to contest.