disput

n. State of being disputable. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Dispute, v. i. ] Proneness to dispute. [ Obs. ] Bp. Ward. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. disputants, p. pr. of disputare: cf. F. disputant. See Dispute, v. i. ] Disputing; engaged in controversy. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who disputes; one who argues in opposition to another; one appointed to dispute; a controvertist; a reasoner in opposition. [ 1913 Webster ]

A singularly eager, acute, and pertinacious disputant. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A rhetorical exercise in which parties reason in opposition to each other on some question proposed. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Inclined to dispute; apt to civil or controvert; characterized by dispute; as, a disputatious person or temper. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. disputativus. ] Disposed to dispute; inclined to cavil or to reason in opposition; as, a disputative temper. I. Watts. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Therefore disputed [ reasoned, Rev. Ver. ] he in synagogue with the Jews. Acts xvii. 17. [ 1913 Webster ]