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The act of resuming; as, the resumption of a grant, of delegated powers, of an argument, of specie payments, etc.

To return, as an argument, accusation, censure, or incivility; as, to retort the charge of vanity. And with retorted scorn his back he turned. Milton.

ecifically, reward and punishment, as distributed at the general judgment. It is a strong argument for a state of retribution hereafter, that in this world virtuous persons are very often unfortunate, and vicious persons prosperous. Addison.

To go back in thought, narration, or argument. "But to return to my story." Fielding.

r; to reply. You have said; but whether wisely or no, let the forest judge. Shak. To this argument we shall soon have said; for what concerns it us to hear a husband divulge his household privacies Milton.

gs. Locke. Such a scheme of things as shall at once take in time and eternity. Atterbury. Arguments . . . sufficient to support and demonstrate a whole scheme of moral philosophy. J. Edwards. The Revolution came and changed his whole scheme of life. Macaulay.

ce or systematic knowledge; as, a scientific chemist; a scientific reasoner; a scientific argument. Bossuet is as scientific in the structure of his sentences. Lander. Scientific method, the method employed in exact science and consisting of: (a) Careful and abundant observation and experiment.

d to denote such a division. It is hardly possible to give a distinct view of his several arguments in distinct sections. Locke.

A contest in boxing, in an argument, or the like. [Colloq.] Halliwell.

lowing or employing unneccessary ornament, amplification, etc.; strict; -- said of style, argument, etc. "Restrained by reason and severe principles." Jer. Taylor. The Latin, a most severe and compendious language. Dryden.

A shooting with great precision and effect; hence, a keen contest of wit or argument.

To unite, as two pieces of metal by welding. (f) To cause to become silent by authority, argument, or force.

hable) structure; a slight (i. e., not deep) impression; a slight (i. e., not convincing) argument; a slight (i. e., not thorough) examination; slight (i. e., not severe) pain, and the like. "At one slight bound." Milton. Slight is the subject, but not so the praise. Pope. Some firmly embrace doctrines upon slight grou…

Weak; slight; unsubstantial; poor; as, a slim argument. "That was a slim excuse." Barrow.

Singly; alone; only; without another; as, to rest a cause solely one argument; to rely solelyn one's own strength.

dity; truth; certainty; - - as opposed to weakness or fallaciousness; as, the solidity of arguments or reasoning; the solidity of principles, triuths, or opinions.

Soundness; strength; truth; validity, as of arguments, reasons, principles, and the like.

of reasoning practiced by a sophist; hence, any fallacy designed to deceive. When a false argument puts on the appearance of a true one, then it is properly called a sophism, or "fallacy". I. Watts. Let us first rid ourselves of sophisms, those of depraved men, and those of heartless philosophers. I. Taylor.…

Hence, an impostor in argument; a captious or fallacious reasoner.

To maintain by sophistry, or by a fallacious argument. [Obs.] obham.