Library / English Dictionary

DISPUTE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Coming into conflict with

Synonyms:

contravention; dispute

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("dispute" is a kind of...):

resistance (group action in opposition to those in power)

Derivation:

disputatious (inclined or showing an inclination to dispute or disagree, even to engage in law suits)

dispute (have a disagreement over something)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A disagreement or argument about something important

Example:

the familiar conflict between Republicans and Democrats

Synonyms:

conflict; difference; difference of opinion; dispute

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("dispute" is a kind of...):

disagreement (the speech act of disagreeing or arguing or disputing)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "dispute"):

collision (a conflict of opposed ideas or attitudes or goals)

arguing; argument; contention; contestation; controversy; disceptation; disputation; tilt (a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong disagreement)

gap (a difference (especially an unfortunate difference) between two opinions or two views or two situations)

dustup; quarrel; row; run-in; words; wrangle (an angry dispute)

Derivation:

disputatious (inclined or showing an inclination to dispute or disagree, even to engage in law suits)

dispute (have a disagreement over something)

dispute (take exception to)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Have a disagreement over something

Example:

These two fellows are always scrapping over something

Synonyms:

altercate; argufy; dispute; quarrel; scrap

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "dispute" is one way to...):

argue; contend; debate; fence (have an argument about something)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "dispute"):

brawl; wrangle (to quarrel noisily, angrily or disruptively)

spat (engage in a brief and petty quarrel)

polemicise; polemicize; polemise; polemize (engage in a controversy)

fall out (have a breach in relations)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

disputant (a person who disputes; who is good at or enjoys controversy)

disputation (a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong disagreement)

disputation (the formal presentation of a stated proposition and the opposition to it (usually followed by a vote))

disputative (inclined or showing an inclination to dispute or disagree, even to engage in law suits)

dispute (coming into conflict with)

dispute (a disagreement or argument about something important)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Take exception to

Example:

She challenged his claims

Synonyms:

challenge; dispute; gainsay

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "dispute" is one way to...):

contend; contest; repugn (to make the subject of dispute, contention, or litigation)

"Dispute" entails doing...:

call into question; oppugn; question (challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "dispute"):

call (challenge the sincerity or truthfulness of)

call (challenge (somebody) to make good on a statement; charge with or censure for an offense)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

disputation (a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong disagreement)

dispute (a disagreement or argument about something important)

Credits

 Context examples: 

I need not say that we were strangers to any species of disunion or dispute.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

An individual that presides over and arbitrates disputes between individuals or organizations.

(Adjudicator, NCI Thesaurus)

So that controversies, wranglings, disputes, and positiveness, in false or dubious propositions, are evils unknown among the Houyhnhnms.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

The Transcontinental made a dignified and convincing statement of how it first discovered Martin Eden, which was warmly disputed by The Hornet, with the exhibit of "The Peri and the Pearl."

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

“Well,” said Emma, “there is no disputing about taste. At least you admire her except her complexion.”

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

Grant and Mrs. Norris to dispute over their last play, he became a looker-on at the other, he found his niece the object of attentions, or rather of professions, of a somewhat pointed character.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Catherine found Mrs. Allen just returned from all the busy idleness of the morning, and was immediately greeted with, Well, my dear, here you are, a truth which she had no greater inclination than power to dispute; and I hope you have had a pleasant airing?

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

Starting from a dispute as to which should chop a few sticks for the fire (a dispute which concerned only Charles and Hal), presently would be lugged in the rest of the family, fathers, mothers, uncles, cousins, people thousands of miles away, and some of them dead.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

The morning had been a quiet morning enough—all except the brief scene with the lunatic: the transaction in the church had not been noisy; there was no explosion of passion, no loud altercation, no dispute, no defiance or challenge, no tears, no sobs: a few words had been spoken, a calmly pronounced objection to the marriage made; some stern, short questions put by Mr. Rochester; answers, explanations given, evidence adduced; an open admission of the truth had been uttered by my master; then the living proof had been seen; the intruders were gone, and all was over.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

It's a place that has an ancient monopoly in suits about people's wills and people's marriages, and disputes among ships and boats.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)