Outargue

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /aʊtˈɑːɡjuː/

Definitions

1. To successfully defeat an opponent in a discussion or debate by presenting stronger reasoning
2. To prevail over someone in a verbal dispute through more convincing or persuasive arguments
3. To win a disagreement by effectively countering and overcoming the other person's points

Etymology: "Outargue" is a plain English compound: the prefix "out-", meaning "beyond" or "surpassing," attached to "argue." The prefix was an Old English word, "ūt," meaning "out" or "outside," and it has long been used to form verbs that mean doing something better than or more thoroughly than someone else, as in "outrun" or "outdo." "Argue" has a longer journey. It came into Middle English through Old French "arguer," which descends from Latin "arguere," meaning "to make clear, prove, or accuse." That Latin verb, in turn, traces back to a root meaning "bright" or "clear," so the original idea was of making something plain to see. Over centuries, the sense shifted from showing something to be true toward debating it. Put the two together and "outargue" simply means to win a dispute by having the stronger case. The word is a transparent formation: nothing in its parts has changed meaning, and its date of first use in English is not something this history can pin down with confidence.

Synonyms: overcome, refute, counter, dispute, debate

Antonyms: concede, accept, agree, yield, submit