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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.

ess of reasoning, or a controversy made up of rational proofs; argumentation; discussion; disputation. The argument is about things, but names. Locke.

Caviling; subtle disputation. [Obs.]

chancellor addressed to the young doctor, who then receives the cap, and presides at the disputation (also called the aulic).

ut, as from man to man; to agitate. Let not obvious and known truth be bandied about in a disputation. I. Watts.

he main one; also, to enlarge the scope of one's business, etc. To branch out into a long disputation. Spectator.

Controversy; disputation; discussion. [Archaic] Verbose janglings and endless disceptations. Strype.

To examine in detail or by disputation; to reason upon by presenting favorable and adverse considerations; to debate; to sift; to investigate; to ventilate. "We sat and . . . discussed the farm . . . and the price of grain." Tennyson. "To discuss questions of taste." Macaulay.

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…

uture life was no recommendation of the new religion to the wits and philosophers of that disputations period. Buckminster. -- Dis`pu*ta"tious*ly, adv. -- Dis`pu*ta"tious*ness, n.

To make a subject of disputation; to argue pro and con; to discuss. The rest I reserve it be disputed how the magistrate is to do herein. Milton.

ndship and union; strife; discord; quarrel. Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them. Acts xv. 2. Debates, dissension, uproars are thy joy. Dryden. A seditious person and raiser-up of dissension among the people. Robynson (More's Utopia).

Idle babbling; vain disputation. From which some, having swerved, have turned aside unto vain jangling. 1 Tim. i. 6.

in. [Obs.] Soldiers note forts, armories, and magazines; scholars listen after libraries, disputations, and professors. Fuller.

preside as a moderator. Dr. Barlow [was] engaged ... to moderate for him in the divinity disputation. Bp. Barlow's Remains (1693).

The act of opening an academical disputation; the proposition of objections to a tenet, as an exercise for a degree. [Eng.] Todd.

One who opposes in a disputation, argument, or other verbal controversy; specifically, one who attacks some theirs or proposition, in distinction from the respondent, or defendant, who maintains it. How becomingly does Philopolis exercise his office, and seasonably commit the opponent with the respondent, like a long-p…

Among the Jews, penetrating investigation, disputation, and drawing of conclusions, esp. in Talmudic study. -- Pil"pul*ist (#), n. --Pil`pul*is"tic (#), a.

Engaged in, or addicted to, polemics, or to controversy; disputations; as, a polemic writer. South.

Polemic; controversial; disputatious. -- Po*lem"ic*al*ly, adv. Polemical and impertinent disputations. Jer. Taylor.