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A discourse in which a question is discussed, or weighed and examined. Bacon.

ndling; not to be rudely or hastily dealt with; nice; critical; as, a delicate subject or question. There are some things too delicate and too sacred to be handled rudely without injury to truth. F. W. Robertson.

To inquire authoritatively or earnestly; to ask, esp. in a peremptory manner; to question. I did demand what news from Shrewsbury. Shak.

Capable of being demonstrated; that can be proved beyond doubt or question. The grand articles of our belief are as demonstrable as geometry. Glanvill.

A stop or pause by a party to an action, for the judgment of the court on the question, whether, assuming the truth of the matter alleged by the opposite party, it is sufficient in law to sustain the action or defense, and hence whether the party resting is bound to answer or proceed further. Demurrer to evidence, an e…

. [A Scotticism] The fairy Glorians, whose credibility on this point can not be called in question, depones to the confinement of Merlin in a tree. Dunlop.

To bring to a conclusion, as a question or controversy; to settle authoritative or judicial sentence; to decide; as, the court has determined the cause.

lack of self-reliance; modesty; modest reserve; bashfulness. It is good to speak on such questions with diffidence. Macaulay. An Englishman's habitual diffidence and awkwardness of adress. W. Irving.

o a point or end; as, a direct line; direct means. What is direct to, what slides by, the question. Locke.

"We sat and . . . discussed the farm . . . and the price of grain." Tennyson. "To discuss questions of taste." Macaulay.

To disentangle. [R.] "To disintricate the question." Sir W. Hamilton.

Capable of being disputed; liable to be called in question, controverted, or contested; or doubtful certainty or propriety; controvertible; as, disputable opinions, propositions, points, or questions. Actions, every one of which is very disputable. Jer. Taylor.

A rhetorical exercise in which parties reason in opposition to each other on some question proposed.

; to attempt to overthrow; to controvert; to express dissent or opposition to; to call in question; to deny the truth or validity of; as, to dispute assertions or arguments. To seize goods under the disputed authority of writs of assistance. Bancroft.

To feel absence of trust in; not to confide in or rely upon; to deem of questionable sufficiency or reality; to doubt; to be suspicious of; to mistrust. Not distrusting my health. 2 Mac. ix. 22. To distrust the justice of your cause. Dryden. He that requireth the oath doth distrust that other. Udall. Of all afraid, Dis…

Fig.: To plunge or to go deeply into any subject, question, business, etc.; to penetrate; to explore. South.

o ascertain the votes for and against a measure; as, to divide a legislative house upon a question.

Fig.: To evade by craft; as, to dodge a question; to dodge responsibility. [Colloq.] S. G. Goodrich.

To question or hold questionable; to withhold assent to; to hesitate to believe, or to be inclined not to believe; to withhold confidence from; to distrust; as, I have heard the story, but I doubt the truth of it. To admire superior sense, and doubt their own! Pope. I doubt not that however changed, you keep So much of…

Capable of being doubted; questionable.