From Middle English issue, from Old French issue (“an exit, a way out”), feminine past participle of issir (“to exit”), from Latin exeō (“go out, exit”), from prefix ex- (“out”) + eō (“go”). The legal meaning originated from the concept of "the end or result of pleadings in a suit (by presenting the point to be determined by trial)," leading to the sense of "the controversy over facts in a trial" (early 14th century, Anglo-French). This later extended to mean "a point of contention between two parties" (early 15th century) and more generally, "an important point to be decided" (1836). Consequently, the verbal phrase take issue with emerged in 1797 (preceded by join issue in the 1690s), meaning "to adopt an affirmative or negative stance in a dispute with another." The expression to have issues, meaning "to have unresolved conflicts," dates to 1990.
Medicine, Sciences The outflow of a bodily fluid, particularly (now rare) in abnormal amounts.
The technique minimizes the issue of blood from the incision.
And behold, a woman which was diseased with an issue of blood twelue yeeres, came behinde him [Jesus], and touched the hemme of his garment.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 9:20:
› Someone or something that flows out or comes out
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Medicine, SciencesArchaic The bodily fluid drained through a natural or artificial issue.
For she doted upon their paramours, whose flesh is as the flesh of asses, and whose issue is like the issue of horses.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Ezekiel 23:20:
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LawHistorical, Usually Offspring: one's natural child or children.
He died intestate and without issue, so the extended family have all lawyered up.
His Majesty, His issue, if any, and the descendants of that issue, shall not after His Majesty’s abdication have any right, title or interest in or to the succession to the Throne, and section one of the Act of Settlement shall be construed accordingly.1936, Parliament of the United Kingdom, “Section 1(2)”, in His Majesty’s Declaration of Abdication Act 1936ᵂⁱᵏⁱˢᵒᵘʳᶜᵉ, page 2:
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Figuratively Progeny: all one's lineal descendants.
Although his own kingdom disappeared, his issue went on to rule a quarter of Europe.
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Figuratively, Obsolete A race of people considered as the descendants of some common ancestor.
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Archaic The produce or income derived from farmland or rental properties.
3. A conveys to B all right to the real property aforementioned for a term of _____ years, with all said real property's attendant issues, rents, and profits.
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LawHistorical, Rare Income derived from fines levied by a court or law-enforcement officer; the fines themselves.
Obsolete, Rare Any action or deed performed by a person.
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Obsolete Luck considered as the favor or disfavor of nature, the gods, or God.
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Media, Publishing A single edition of a newspaper or other periodical publication.
Yeah, I just got the June issue of Wombatboy.
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The entire set of some item printed and disseminated during a certain period, particularly (publishing) a single printing of a particular edition of a work when contrasted with other print runs.
The May 1918 issue of US 24-cent stamps became famous when a printer's error inverted its depiction of an airmail plane.
How if there were no centre at all, but just one alley after another, and the whole world a labyrinth without end or issue?1881, Robert Louis Stevenson, Virginibus Puerisque:
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Archaic A confluence: the mouth of a river; the outlet of a lake or other body of water.
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The action or an instance of sending something out, particularly
The issue of the directive from the treasury prompted the central bank's most recent issue of currency.
› The action or an instance of sending something out
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Medicine, SciencesHistorical A small incision, tear, or artificial ulcer, used to drain fluid and usually held open with a pea or other small object.
Issues and fontanels were supposed remedies for joint diseases, pulmonary tuberculosis, and other chronic conditions.2005, James Harold Kirkup, chapter XXV, in The Evolution of Surgical Instruments, page 403:
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The production or distribution of something for general use.
Congress delegated the issue of US currency to the Federal Reserve in 1913.
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The distribution of something (particularly rations or standardized provisions) to someone or some group.
The uniform was standard prison issue.
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Business, Finance The action or an instance of a company selling bonds, stock, or other securities.
The company's stock issue diluted his ownership.
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Any question or situation to be resolved, particularly
Please stand by. We are having technical issues.
› Any question or situation to be resolved
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Law A point of law or fact in dispute or question in a legal action presented for resolution by the court.
The issue before the court is whether participation in a group blog makes the plaintiff a public figure under the relevant statute.
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Figuratively Anything in dispute, an area of disagreement whose resolution is being debated or decided.
For chrissakes, John, don't make an issue out of it. Just sleep on the floor if you want.
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Obsolete, Rare A difficult choice between two alternatives, a dilemma.
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US, Plural normally A psychological or emotional difficulty, (now informal, figurative and usually euphemistic) any problem or concern considered as a vague and intractable difficulty.
She has daddy issues, mommy issues, drug issues, money issues, trust issues, printer issues... I'm just sayin', girl's got issues.
› The action or an instance of concluding something
The end result of an event or events, any result or outcome, particularly
The eternal happiness or misery of the departed saint depended on the issue of this contest between the powers of good and evil for the possession of his mortal remains.1911, James George Frazer, The Golden Bough, volume 9, page 176:
› The end result of an event or events, any…
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Archaic The result of a discussion or negotiation, an agreement.
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Obsolete The result of an investigation or consideration, a conclusion.
From Middle English issue, from Old French issue (“an exit, a way out”), feminine past participle of issir (“to exit”), from Latin exeō (“go out, exit”), from prefix ex- (“out”) + eō (“go”). The legal meaning originated from the concept of "the end or result of pleadings in a suit (by presenting the point to be determined by trial)," leading to the sense of "the controversy over facts in a trial" (early 14th century, Anglo-French). This later extended to mean "a point of contention between two parties" (early 15th century) and more generally, "an important point to be decided" (1836). Consequently, the verbal phrase take issue with emerged in 1797 (preceded by join issue in the 1690s), meaning "to adopt an affirmative or negative stance in a dispute with another." The expression to have issues, meaning "to have unresolved conflicts," dates to 1990.
To flow out, to proceed from, to come out or from.
The water issued forth from the spring.
The rents issuing from the land permitted him to live as a man of independent means.
3 more examples
...thy sons that shall issue from thee...1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 2 Kings xx:18:
1918, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Land That Time Forgot Chapter IV There was a very light off-shore wind and scarcely any breakers, so that the approach to the shore was continued without finding bottom; yet though we were already quite close, we saw no indication of any indention in the coast from which even a tiny brooklet might issue, and certainly no mouth of a large river such as this must necessarily be to freshen the ocean even two hundred yards from shore.
A powerful current of warm breath issued at regular intervals from the profound cavity of his mouth while in rhythmic resonance the loud strong hale reverberations of his formidable heart thundered rumblingly […]1922 February, James Joyce, “[Episode 12: The Cyclops]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company, […], →OCLC:
2
To rush out, to sally forth.
The men issued from the town and attacked the besiegers.
3
To extend into, to open onto.
The road issues into the highway.
4
To turn out in a certain way, to result in.
But, for Livy, Roman patriotism is overriding, and this issues, of course, in an antiquarian attention to the city's origins.2007, John Burrow, A History of Histories, Penguin, published 2009, page 171:
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Archaic To end up as, to turn out being, to become as a result.
And let his foes like flockes of feareful Roes, Purſude by hunters, flie his angry lookes, That I may ſee him iſſue Conquerour.c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act III, scene iii:
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Law To come to a point in fact or law on which the parties join issue.
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To send out; to put into circulation.
The Federal Reserve issues US dollars.
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To deliver for use.
The prison issued new uniforms for the inmates.
Two years on, and while the Sultan of Slowjamastan has instigated more than a few bizarre laws (he’s outlawed the wearing of Crocs, for example), the Republic also has all the trappings of a fledgling nation-state. It issues its own passports, flies its own flag, prints its own currency (“the duble”), and has a national anthem that’s played on state occasions.2023 June 8, Richard Collett, “He ran out of countries to visit, so he created his own”, in CNN:
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To deliver by authority.
The court issued a writ of mandamus.
Five minutes later, Southampton tried to mount their first attack, but Wickham sabotaged the move by tripping the rampaging Nathaniel Clyne, prompting the referee, Andre Marriner, to issue a yellow card. That was a lone blemish on an otherwise tidy start by Poyet’s team – until, that is, the 12th minute, when Vergini produced a candidate for the most ludicrous own goal in Premier League history.2014 October 18, Paul Doyle, “Southampton hammer eight past hapless Sunderland in barmy encounter”, in The Guardian:
Etymology From Free (“not enslaved”) Issue (“progeny”), "an antiquated designation for descendants of enslaved people who were freed before the Civil War", later applied to Monacans because Virginia laws for a time required births to be registered as either "White" or "Colored", erasing Indians, and clerks later haphazardly classified Monacans (even from the same mother and father) as "Mixed Indian", "Negro", or "Issue".
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Derogatory A Monacan Indian; a member of a Mestee group originating in Amherst County, Virginia.