dispute
verbUK [dɪsˈpjʊu̯t] · US [dɪsˈpjʊu̯t]
Etymology From Middle English disputen, from Old French desputer (French disputer), from Latin disputāre (“to dispute, discuss, examine, compute, estimate”), from dis- (“apart”) + putāre (“to reckon, consider, think, originally make clean, clear up”), related to purus (“pure”). Compare compute, count, impute, repute, amputate, etc.
1
To contend in argument; to argue against something maintained, upheld, or claimed, by another.
- "Now, though thy thoughts are green and tender, as becometh one so young, yet are they those of a thinking brain, and in truth thou dost bring back to my mind certain of those old philosophers with whom in days bygone I have disputed at Athens, and at Becca in Arabia, for thou hast the same crabbed air and dusty look, as though thou hadst passed thy days in reading ill-writ Greek, and been stained dark with the grime of manuscripts."1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC:
2
To make a subject of disputation; to argue pro and con; to discuss.
- Some residents disputed the proposal, saying it was based more on emotion than fact.
3
To oppose by argument or assertion; to controvert; to express dissent or opposition to; to call in question; to deny the truth or validity of.
- to dispute assertions or arguments
- to seize goods under the disputed authority of writs of assistance1834–1874, George Bancroft, History of the United States, from the Discovery of the American Continent, volume (please specify |volume=I to X), Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown and Company [et al.], →OCLC:
4
To strive or contend about; to contest.
- to dispute the possession of the ground with the Spaniards1855–1858, William H[ickling] Prescott, History of the Reign of Philip the Second, King of Spain, volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Boston, Mass.: Phillips, Sampson, and Company, →OCLC:
5
Obsolete To struggle against; to resist.
- Dispute it [grief] like a man.c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
- Derived terms
- disputability, disputably, indisputably, industrial dispute, nondisputing, redispute, undisputing
- Related terms
- disputable, disputant, disputation, disputatious, disputative, disputedly