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self-evident truth; a statement which is pliantly true; a proposition needing no proof or argument; -- opposed to falsism. Trifling truisms clothed in great, swelling words. J. P. Smith.

ring, or rolling the metal. -- To turn against. (a) To direct against; as, to turn one's arguments against himself. (b) To make unfavorable or hostile to; as, to turn one's friends against him. -- To turn a hostile army, To turn the enemy's flank, or the like (Mil.), to pass round it, and take a position behind it or…

Double; duplicate; multiplied by two; as, a twofold nature; a twofold sense; a twofold argument.

Most remote; furthest; final; last. Ultima ratio Etym: [L.], the last reason or argument; the last resort. -- Ultima Thule. [L.] See Thule.

Not answerable; irrefutable; conclusive; decisive; as, he have an unanswerable argument. -- Un*an"swer*a*ble*ness, n. -- Un*an"swer*a*bly, adv.

Not refuted; as, an unanswered argument.

; to understand a proposition or a declaration; the court understands the advocate or his argument; to understand the sacred oracles; to understand a nod or a wink. Speaketh [i. e., speak thou] so plain at this time, I you pray, That we may understande what ye say. Chaucer. I understand not what you mean by this. Shak.…

To overturn, overthrow, or overset; as, to upset a carriage; to upset an argument. "Determined somehow to upset the situation." Mrs. Humphry Ward.

To press the mind or will of; to ply with motives, arguments, persuasion, or importunity. My brother never Did urge me in his act; I did inquire it. Shak.

ied, defended, or supported; not weak or defective; sound; good; efficacious; as, a valid argument; a valid objection. An answer that is open to no valid exception. I. Taylor.

rength; force; especially, power to convince; justness; soundness; as, the validity of an argument or proof; the validity of an objection.

sary; tedious by a multiplicity of words; prolix; wordy; as, a verbose speaker; a verbose argument. Too verbose in their way of speaking. Ayliffe. -- Ver*bose"ly, adv. -- Ver*bose"ness, n.

Mental survey; intellectual perception or examination; as, a just view of the arguments or facts in a case. I have with exact view perused thee, Hector. Shak.

ing power to convince; not supported by force of reason or truth; unsustained; as, a weak argument or case. "Convinced of his weak arguing." Milton. A case so weak . . . hath much persisted in. Hooker.

the mind; to weaken the hands of a magistrate; to weaken the force of an objection or an argument. Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Neh. vi. 9.

Fig.: The means or instrument with which one contends against another; as, argument was his only weapon. "Woman's weapons, water drops." Shak.

hiffles, or frequently changes his opinion or course; one who uses shifts and evasions in argument; hence, a trifler. Every whiffler in a laced coat who frequents the chocolate house shall talk of the constitution. Swift.

. (b) To bring to a conclusion or settlement; as, to wind up one's affairs; to wind up an argument. (c) To put in a state of renewed or continued motion, as a clock, a watch, etc., by winding the spring, or that which carries the weight; hence, to prepare for continued movement or action; to put in order anew. "Fate se…

Hence, also, to draw or spin out to great length and tenuity; as, to wiredraw an argument. Such twisting, such wiredrawing, was never seen in a court of justice. Macaulay.

four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day. Acts xxvii. 29. This is as good an argument as an antiquary could wish for. Arbuthnot.