a. [a. F. cogent (14th c. in Littré), ad. L. cōgent-em, pr. pple. of cōgĕre to drive together, compel, constrain, f. co- together + agĕre to drive.]
1. Constraining, impelling; powerful, forcible.
1718. Hickes & Nelson, J. Kettlewell, I. § 17. 41. He was wont to do it in such an Obliging (and yet cogent) Way as … to give no Offence.
1761. Hume, Hist. Eng., II. xxix. 161. To these views of interest were added the motives, no less cogent, of passion and resentment.
1863. Kinglake, Crimea (1877), II. i. 7. The French Emperor … determined to insist in cogent terms.
1866. Ferrier, Grk. Philos., I. ix. 199. Society’s commands must be obeyed only in the second instance, because society is less real, less cogent than Nature.
b. esp. Having power to compel assent or belief; argumentatively forcible, convincing.
1659. Pearson, Creed (1839), 135. Though the witness of John were thus cogent, yet the testimony of miracles was far more irrefragable.
1667. Boyle, Orig. Formes & Qual. To imploy such Arguments as I thought the clearest, and cogentest.
1690. Locke, Hum. Und., I. iv. Undeniable cogent demonstrations.
1763. Johnson, in Boswell, an. 1781 (1847), 690/1. Sir, I have two very cogent reasons for not printing any list of subscribers.
1876. J. H. Newman, Hist. Sk., I. IV. ii. 382. The testimony of a number is more cogent than the testimony of two or three.
c. with dependent phrase.
1669. Gale, Crt. Gentiles, I. I. ii. 15. Conjectures, such as seem cogent to persuade us.
1836. Prichard, Phys. Hist. Mankind (ed. 3), I. 374. Not so cogent of conviction as a positive argument would be.
† 2. Of persons: Employing force or compulsion, peremptory. Obs. rare.
1672. Marvell, Reh. Transp., I. 89. All men are prone to be cogent and supercilious when they are in office.
