redargue

Meaning

1. (transitive) To disprove or refute (someone) in an argument.
2. (transitive) To rebut or refute (an argument, a proposition, etc.).
3. (obsolete, transitive) Often followed by for or of: to censure, to rebuke, to reprove (someone or something).
4. (obsolete, rare, transitive) To argue (a case, proposition, etc.) against someone.
5. (intransitive, obsolete) To present a disproof or refutation of an argument, a person, etc.

Synonyms

blame

disprove

refute

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ɹɪˈdɑːɡjuː/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: redarguen

Cognate with French: rédarguer

Cognate with Catalan: redargüir

Cognate with Italian: redarguire

Cognate with Old Provençal: redarguir

Cognate with Portuguese: redargüir

Cognate with Spanish: redargüir

In summary

From Late Middle English redarguen, redargue (“to defeat (someone) in an argument; to rebuke, reprove”), from Middle French redarguer and Old French redargüer (“to disprove, refute; to accuse, blame; to rebuke, reprove”) (modern French rédarguer), and from their etymon Latin redarguere (“to disprove, refute”) (compare Late Latin redarguere (“to rebuke, reprove”)), the present active infinitive of redarguō (“to disprove, refute; to contradict”), from red- (a variant of re- (prefix meaning ‘again’)) + arguō (“to assert, declare; to clarify, make plain; to prove, show; to accuse, charge with; to censure, rebuke, reprove; to blame; to denounce as false”) (possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂erǵ- (“argent, white; glittering”), in the sense of casting light on something to make it clear). Doublet of argue.
Cognates
* Catalan redargüir
* Italian redarguire
* Old Occitan redarguir
* Portuguese redargüir
* Spanish redargüir