elenchize
verbEtymology From elenchus + -ize.
1
Archaic To dispute.
- Or syllogize, elenchize1629 (first performance), B[en] Jonson, The New Inne. Or, The Light Heart. […], London: […] Thomas Harper, for Thomas Alchorne, […], published 1631, →OCLC, (please specify the page), (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
2
Archaic To argue by elenchus, leading one's opponent to the desired conclusion by agreement with a series of logical steps.