| 释义 |
ar·gu·ment
\ˈärgyəmənt, ˈȧg-\ noun
(-s)
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin argumentum, from arguere to make clear + -mentum -ment
1. obsolete : an outward sign : evidence, indication
< it is no addition to her wit nor no great argument of her folly — Shakespeare >
2.
a. : a reason given for or against a matter under discussion : a statement made or a fact presented in support of or in opposition to a proposal or opinion
< paper was a party organ providing usable facts and arguments in terse paragraphs — Helen C.Boatfield >
specifically : the middle term of a syllogism
b. : a form of rhetorical expression intended to convince or persuade
< the textbook contained good examples of exposition and argument >
3.
a. : the act or process of arguing, reasoning, or discussing : argumentation, disputation
< reiteration is not argument — C.M.Fuess >
b. : a coherent series of reasons, statements, or facts intended to support or establish a point of view : a discussion often involving a controversial topic
< the plaintiff has made his closing argument — W.E.Sedgwick >
< keep to the single thread of my argument — E.R.Bentley >
c. : an instance of arguing : a difference of opinion : disagreement, dispute, quarrel
< the argument … will not be settled by any showdown — Saturday Review >
4. : an abstract or summary especially of a poem, play, or part of a literary work
< a later editor added the argument to the poem >
5. : the subject matter, plot, or central idea especially of a novel, poem, or speech
< the argument of the book is as simple as you could wish for — Robert Parris >
6. mathematics
a. : one of the independent variables upon whose value that of a function depends
b. : the angle that fixes the direction of a complex number — compare argand diagram
Synonyms: see reason |