Online OXFORD Collocation Dictionary

argument noun

¹ angry discussion

ADJ. angry, bitter, heated, violent | big I had a big argument with my mother this morning. | little, silly, stupid

VERB + ARGUMENT become/get involved in, get into, have I don't want to get into an argument with her. | cause, provoke, start | lose, win I was determined to win the argument.

ARGUMENT + VERB arise, break out, develop, erupt Minutes later a violent argument erupted.

PREP. ~ about We had an argument about what we should buy. | ~ between an argument between her parents | ~ over The argument over decentralization will probably continue for ever. | ~ with an argument with his wife

² reason supporting opinion

ADJ. basic, general | main | good, major, powerful, sound, strong, valid | compelling, conclusive, convincing, persuasive | plausible Their argument sounds plausible but is it really valid? | spurious, tenuous, weak | balanced | logical, rational, reasoned | economic, moral, political, theoretical

VERB + ARGUMENT advance, deploy, offer, present, put forward He put forward some very convincing arguments. | develop This argument is developed further in the next chapter. | illustrate, support, underline Do you have any evidence to support your argument? | consider, hear, listen to | accept, agree with | dismiss, reject The company dismissed his arguments as alarmist. | counter, refute She tried to think how to refute the argument on moral grounds.

ARGUMENT + VERB be based on sth The government's argument is always based on how much such a scheme would cost. | go, run Centralized government, so the argument goes, is too far removed from the problems of ordinary citizens. | apply (for sth) The same argument applies to fox-hunting. | justify sth | suggest sth These arguments suggest that the medical establishment had an interest in suppressing the research.

PREP. ~ against the arguments against increasing taxes | ~ concerning arguments concerning the nature of morality | ~ for There is a very good argument for increasing spending on education. | ~ in favour of What are the arguments in favour of change?

PHRASES all/both sides of an argument He was able to see both sides of the argument. | a flaw in the argument I can see no flaw in the argument as she has just explained it. | a line of argument I can see a few problems with this line of argument.