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Pertaining to dialectics; logical; argumental.

A figure by which arguments are placed in various points of view, and then turned to one point. Smart.

; to swerve; especially, to turn aside from the main subject of attention, or course of argument, in writing or speaking. Moreover she beginneth to digress in latitude. Holland. In the pursuit of an argument there is hardly room to digress into a particular definition as often as a man varies the signification of any t…

An argument which presents an antagonist with two or more alternatives, but is equally conclusive against him, whichever alternative he chooses.

dly dipping a wick in melted tallow. -- To dip snuff, to take snuff by rubbing it on the gums and teeth. [Southern U. S.] -- To dip the colors (Naut.), to lower the colors and return them to place; -- a form of naval salute.

The practice of taking snuff by rubbing the teeth or gums with a stick or brush dipped in snuff. [U.S.] Dipping needle, a magnetic needle suspended at its center of gravity, and moving freely in a vertical plane, so as to indicate on a graduated circle the magnetic dip or inclination.

Reasoning; proceeding from one ground to another, as in reasoning; argumentative. Reason is her being, Discursive or intuitive. Milton. -- Dis*cur"sive*ly, adv. -- Dis*cur"sive*ness, n.

Argumentative; discursive; reasoning. [R.] Bp. Hall.

Argumentation; ratiocination; discursive reasoning.

The act of discussing or exchanging reasons; examination by argument; debate; disputation; agitation. The liberty of discussion is the great safeguard of all other liberties. Macaulay. Discussion of a problem or an equation (Math.), the operation of assigning different reasonable values to the arbitrary quantities and…

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.

To contend in argument; to argue against something maintained, upheld, or claimed, by another; to discuss; to reason; to debate; to altercate; to wrangle. Therefore disputed [reasoned, Rev. Ver .] he in synagogue with the Jews. Acts xvii. 17.

r discussion of, any subject; a full examination or investigation of a matter, with the arguments and facts bearing upon it; elaborate essay; dissertation. For accurate research or grave disquisition he was not well qualified. Macaulay.

A formal or elaborate argumentative discourse, oral or written; a disquisition; an essay; a discussion; as, Dissertations on the Prophecies.

without dissimulation. Rom. xii. 9. Dissimulation . . . when a man lets fall signs and arguments that he is not that he is. Bacon. Simulation is a pretense of what is not, and dissimulation a concealment of what is. Tatler.

A dissuasive argument or counsel; dissuasion; dehortation. Prynne. -- Dis*sua"sive*ly, adv.

Nice discrimination; hence, clearness; precision; as, he stated his arguments with great distinctness.

A small tree of tropical America (Cæsalpinia coriaria), whose legumes contain a large proportion of tannic and gallic acid, and are used by tanners and dyers.

little success of all this upon the dogmatist; his opinioned assurance is paramount to argument. Glanvill.

liary. -- Donkey's eye (Bot.), the large round seed of the Mucuna pruriens, a tropical leguminous plant.