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To contend in argument; to dispute; to reason; -- followed by with; as, you may argue with your friend without convincing him.

ting, or artistic representation; theme or topic; also, an abstract or summary, as of the contents of a book, chapter, poem. You and love are still my argument. Shak. The abstract or argument of the piece. Jeffrey. [Shields] with boastful argument portrayed. Milton.

or power, or which exalts the worth or importance of the person to an undue degree; proud contempt of others; lordliness; haughtiness; self-assumption; presumption. I hate not you for her proud arrogance. Shak.

Skillful plan; device. They employed every art to soothe . . . the discontented warriors. Macaulay.

In the early church, one who devoted himself to a solitary and contemplative life, characterized by devotion, extreme self-denial, and self-mortification; a hermit; a recluse; hence, one who practices extreme rigor and self-denial in religious things. I am far from commending those ascetics that take up their quarters…

Awry; askance; asquint; oblique or obliquely; -- sometimes indicating scorn, or contempt, or entry. Spenser.

An instrument for the evacuation of the fluid contents of tumors or collections of blood.

One who contended for a prize in the public games of ancient Greece or Rome.

authority: (a) To arrest by writ, and bring before a court, as to answer for a debt, or a contempt; -- applied to a taking of the person by a civil process; being now rarely used for the arrest of a criminal. (b) To seize or take (goods or real estate) by virtue of a writ or precept to hold the same to satisfy a judgme…

Contemning the restraints of law, religion, or decorum; bold in wickedness; presumptuous; impudent; insolent. " Audacious traitor." Shak. " Such audacious neighborhood." Milton.

Reckless daring; presumptuous impudence; -- implying a contempt of law or moral restraints. With the most arrogant audacity. Joye.

Begone; depart; -- a word of contempt or abhorrence, equivalent to the phrase "Get thee gone."

loq.] -- To back out, To back down, to retreat or withdraw from a promise, engagement, or contest; to recede. [Colloq.] Cleon at first . . . was willing to go; but, finding that he [Nicias] was in earnest, he tried to back out. Jowett (Thucyd. )

One who, or that which, backs; especially one who backs a person or thing in a contest.

An exclamation expressive of extreme contempt. Twenty-five years ago the vile ejaculation, Bah! was utterly unknown to the English public. De Quincey.

vessel for holding hot water in which another vessel may be heated without scorching its contents; -- used for warming or preparing food or pharmaceutical preparations.

To content, as at some game in which each strives to drive the ball his own way. Fit to bandy with thy lawless sons. Shak.

A young or small child; an infant. [Slightly contemptuous or depreciatory.] In what out of the way corners genius produces her bantlings. W. Irving.

The contents of a basket; as much as a basket contains; as, a basket of peaches.

A game, usually played indoors, in which two parties of players contest with each other to toss a large inflated ball into opposite goals resembling baskets.