Word Direct Answers

What does "argument" mean?

Argument: 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.

Additional senses

  1. 2.A process of reasoning, or a controversy made up of rational proofs; argumentation; discussion; disputation. The argument is about things, but names. Locke.
  2. 3.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. [Shields] with boastful argument portrayed. Milton.
  3. 4.Matter for question; business in hand. [Obs.] Sheathed their swords for lack of argument. Shak.
  4. 5.(Astron.) The quantity on which another quantity in a table depends; as, the altitude is the argument of the refraction.
  5. 6.(Math.) The independent variable upon whose value that of a function depends. Brande & C.
  6. 7.To make an argument; to argue. [Obs.] Gower.

Sources