A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1420-1500, 1552-1586
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Argument, n. [ME. (Chaucer), F. argument, L. argumentum.]
1. Argumentation. c1420 Wynt. v. 5258; etc.
The Devill come … For till fand hym wyth argument 1456 Hay I. 139/5.
A gude jurist wald sustene … grete argument tharapon c1420 Ratis Raving 1286.
Scho … can nocht … ansuer weil to argwment a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 2669.
This causis all thar argument a1570-86 Arbuthnot Maitland Folio MS xxix. 125.
I man … ȝeild to thame and quyte the argument
2. An alleged reason; an argument. c1420 Wynt. viii. 647.
Makand mony … argumentis in thare collatyownys 1456 Hay I. 100/21.
This argument is na worth 1456 Ib. 119/24; etc.
Nocht gaynstandand all thir argumentis a1500 Henr. Fab. 2276.
Thy argument is fals c1552 Lynd. Mon. 672.
Lat Doctoris wrytt thare curious questionis And argumentis 1562-3 Winȝet I. 25/1.
Sum theme, argument, or sentence
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"Argument n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/argument_n>
