[a. F. argument (13th c.), ad. L. argūment-um, f. arguĕre (or refashioning, after this, of OF. arguement, f. arguer): see ARGUE. For use of the L. form, see 3 c.]
1. Proof, evidence, manifestation, token. (Passing from clear proof in early, to proof presumptive in later usage; cf. ARGUE 3.) arch.
1382. Wyclif, Acts i. 3. To which and he ȝaf hym silf a lyue … in manye argumentis, or prouyngis.
1447. Bokenham, Lyvys of Seyntys, 53. I wante the argumentes of a man.
1599. Shaks., Much Ado, II. iii. 242. It is no addition to her witte, nor no great argument of her folly.
1678. Trans. Crt. Spain, 91. Flight is not then an argument of a bad Conscience.
1728. T. Sheridan, Persius (1739), 20, note. Beating the Desk and biting of Nails were Arguments of taking Pains.
1759. Martin, Nat. Hist., I. 251. To remove the two Giants … would be a greater Argument of Taste than fixing them up.
2. Astr. and Math. The angle, arc, or other mathematical quantity, from which another required quantity may be deduced, or on which its calculation depends.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Frankl. T., 549. Hise othere geeris, As been his centris and hise Argumentz. Ibid. (c. 1391), Astrol., xliv. 54. To knowe the mene mote and the argumentis of any planete.
1796. Hutton, Math. Dict., I. 141/2. Annual argument of the moon’s apogee … is the distance of the sun’s place from the place of the moon’s apogee.
1879. Thomson & Tait, Nat. Phil., I. I. § 54. An arc of the circle referred to … is the Argument of the harmonic motion.
3. A statement or fact advanced for the purpose of influencing the mind; a reason urged in support of a proposition; spec. in Logic, the middle term in a syllogism. Also fig.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Frankl. T., 158. Clerkes wol seyn as hem leste By Argumentz that al is for the beste.
1475. Caxton, Jason, 88. Why replye not ye to this argument.
1535. Coverdale, Job xxiii. 3. To pleate my cause before him, and to fyll my mouth with argumentes.
1664. H. More, Myst. Iniq., 338. But that the Beast that was, and is not, is not the Devil, we shall now evince by other arguments.
1724. Watts, Logic, III. ii. § 7. The middle term … is often called the Argument, because the force of the syllogisms depends upon it.
c. 1790. Reid, Lett., in Wks. I. 81/2. It is a good argument ad hominem, against the scheme of Necessity held by Hume.
1852. Miss Yonge, Cameos (1877), II. i. 5. Well provided with golden arguments.
1865. Mozley, Mirac., viii. 187. Anything is an argument which naturally and legitimately produces an effect upon our minds, and tends to make us think one way rather than another.
b. Const. (to obs.), for, a conclusion; hence (of later origin) against the contrary.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, I. 466. Argumentis to this conclusion, That she on hym wold have compassion.
1643. Burroughes, Hosea i. (1652), 7. It is a great argument to obedience to know it is the word of the Lord that is spoken.
1863. Cox, Inst. Eng. Govt., II. iii. 349. The arguments for and against the preservation of trial by jury.
c. In certain phrases borrowed from the formal terminology of the schools, the L. argumentum is in current use, esp. in argumentum ad hominem.
1690. Locke, Hum. Und., IV. xvii. (1695), 391. To press a Man with Consequences drawn from his own Principles, or Concessions … is already known under the Name of Argumentum ad Hominem. [Cf. quot. 1790 in 3.]
4. A connected series of statements or reasons intended to establish a position (and, hence, to refute the opposite); a process of reasoning; argumentation.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 139. To trete upon this jugement Made eche of hem his argument.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., I. lxvii. 248. Therfore lat vs fle the wordle … and by good argument we shulle haue the kyngdome of Heuene.
1577. Holinshed, Chron., II. 16/2. Truly this argument hangeth togither by verie strange gimbols.
1660. Barrow, Euclid, I. xvi. By the like argument is the angle I C H = A B H.
a. 1704. T. Brown, Table T., Wks. 1730, I. 140. You’re out in your argument.
1877. Lytteil, Landmarks, I. iv. 35. To recapitulate the successive steps of the argument.
5. Statement of the reasons for and against a proposition; discussion of a question; debate.
1494. Fabyan, VII. ccxxviii. 257. Than ye stryfe … was brought in argument before the pope.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., III. i. 105. How did this argument begin?
1671. Milton, Samson, 903. In argument with men a woman ever Goes by the worse.
1711. Shaftesb., Charac., II. iv. (1714), II. 305. So intent in upholding their own side of the argument.
1883. J. Gilmour, Among Mongols, xvii. 207. The greater part of [such difficulties] are advanced merely for the sake of argument.
† b. transf. Subject of contention, or debate. Obs.
1695. Shaks., Hen. V., III. i. 21. And sheath’d their Swords, for lack of argument.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, II. 472. Much argument of quarrel ministred betweene them and the Townesmen.
† 6. Subject-matter of discussion or discourse in speech or writing; theme, subject. Obs. or arch.
1570. Ascham, Scholem., Pref. 21. How to write in this kinde of argument.
1596. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., II. ii. 100. It would be argument for a Weeke. Ibid., II. iv. 310. And the argument shall be, thy runing away.
a. 1674. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., II. VII. 205. He grew the Argument of all Tongues, every Man enquiring who, and what He was.
1791. Stormont, Monody Pr. Wales, i. Should woo the British muse … To strains of bitter argument.
1834. Disraeli, Rev. Epick, III. vii. The throbbing deed Shall make thy name a household argument Familiar with their voices.
7. The summary or abstract of the subject-matter of a book; a syllabus; fig. the contents.
1535. Goodly Primer (1848), 291. The argument into the xxivth psalm. In this psalm David singeth all things to be the Lord’s; [etc.].
1607. Shaks., Timon, II. ii. 187. If I would … try the argument of hearts, by borrowing.
1728. Pope, Dunc., I. Argument to Book the First.
1824. J. Johnson, Typogr., I. 165. Orations, which with the argument … take up nineteen leaves.
