Definition of "argument" in English

noun

1. (countable, also figuratively) A fact or statement used to support a proposition; a reason.

2. (countable) A process of reasoning; argumentation.

3. (countable) An abstract or summary of the content of a literary work such as a book, a poem or a major section such as a chapter, included in the work before the content itself; (figuratively) the contents themselves.

4. (countable) A verbal dispute; a quarrel.

   • The neighbours got into an argument about the branches of the trees that extended over the fence.

5. (by extension, humorous or euphemistic) Any dispute, altercation, or collision.

   • Steve got in a physical argument with his neighbor and came away with a black eye.
   • While biking home, he got in an argument with the pavement.

6. (countable, linguistics) Any of the phrases that bear a syntactic connection to the verb of a clause.

7. The independent variable of a function.

8. The phase of a complex number.

9. A quantity on which the calculation of another quantity depends.

   • The altitude is the argument of the refraction.

10. A value, or a reference to a value, passed to a function.

    • Parameters are like labelled fillable blanks used to define a function whereas arguments are passed to a function when calling it, filling in those blanks.

11. A parameter at a function call; an actual parameter, as opposed to a formal parameter.

12. A matter in question; a business in hand.

13. The subject matter of an artistic representation, discourse, or writing; a theme or topic.

14. (uncountable, archaic) Evidence, proof; (countable) an item of such evidence or proof.

verb

1. (intransitive, obsolete, now nonstandard, non-native speakers' English) To put forward as an argument; to argue.

2. (intransitive, obsolete) To adduce evidence, to provide proof.