Controversy

5 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Controversy \Con"tro*ver`sy\, n.; pl. {Controversies}. [L.
     controversia, fr. controversus turned against, disputed;
     contro- = contra + versus, p. p. of vertere to turn. See
     {Verse}.]
     1. Contention; dispute; debate; discussion; agitation of
        contrary opinions.


        [1913 Webster]
  
              This left no room for controversy about the title.
                                                    --Locke.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              A dispute is commonly oral, and a controversy in
              writing.                              --Johnson.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Quarrel; strife; cause of variance; difference.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The Lord hath a controversy with the nations. --Jer.
                                                    xxv. 31.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. A suit in law or equity; a question of right. [Obs.]
        [1913 Webster]
  
              When any man that had a controversy came to the king
              for judgment.                         --2 Sam. xv.
                                                    2.
  
     Syn: Dispute; debate; disputation; disagreement; altercation;
          contention; wrangle; strife; quarrel.
          [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  controversy
       n : a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong
           disagreement; "they were involved in a violent argument"
           [syn: {contention}, {contestation}, {disputation}, {disceptation},
            {tilt}, {argument}, {arguing}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  108 Moby Thesaurus words for "controversy":
     Kilkenny cats, altercation, antagonism, apologetics, apologia,
     apology, argument, argumentation, bicker, bickering, blood feud,
     brawl, broil, casuistry, cat-and-dog life, clashing, combat,
     conflict, confrontation, contention, contentiousness, contest,
     contestation, contradiction, cut and thrust, debate, defense,
     difference, disaccord, disaccordance, disagreement, discord,
     discordance, discordancy, discrepancy, disharmony, disparity,
     disputation, dispute, dissension, dissent, dissidence, dissonance,
     disunion, disunity, divergence, diversity, donnybrook,
     donnybrook fair, embroilment, enmity, faction, falling-out, feud,
     fight, fighting, fliting, flyting, fracas, fuss, hassle, hostility,
     hubbub, hurrah, imbroglio, inaccordance, inequality, jarring,
     litigation, logomachy, miff, negation, open quarrel, opposition,
     oppugnancy, paper war, passage of arms, polemic, polemics, quarrel,
     quarreling, quarrelsomeness, questioning, repugnance, rhubarb,
     rumpus, scrapping, set-to, sharp words, slanging match, snarl,
     spat, squabble, squabbling, strife, struggle, tiff, tussle,
     unharmoniousness, variance, vendetta, verbal engagement, war,
     war of words, warfare, words, wrangle, wrangling
  
  

From Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [bouvier]:

  CONTROVERSY. A dispute arising between two or more persons. It differs from 
  case, which includes all suits criminal as well as civil; whereas 
  controversy is a civil and not a criminal proceeding. 2 Dall. R. 419, 431, 
  432; 1 Tuck. Bl. Com. App. 420, 421; Story, Const. Sec. 1668. 
       2. By the constitution of the United States the judicial power shall 
  extend to controversies to which the United States shall be a party. Art. 2, 
  1. The meaning to be attached to the word controversy in the constitution, 
  is that above given. 
  
  

From THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY ((C)1911 Released April 15 1993) [devils]:

  CONTROVERSY, n.  A battle in which spittle or ink replaces the
  injurious cannon-ball and the inconsiderate bayonet.
  
      In controversy with the facile tongue --
      That bloodless warfare of the old and young --
      So seek your adversary to engage
      That on himself he shall exhaust his rage,
      And, like a snake that's fastened to the ground,
      With his own fangs inflict the fatal wound.
      You ask me how this miracle is done?
      Adopt his own opinions, one by one,
      And taunt him to refute them; in his wrath
      He'll sweep them pitilessly from his path.
      Advance then gently all you wish to prove,
      Each proposition prefaced with, "As you've
      So well remarked," or, "As you wisely say,
      And I cannot dispute," or, "By the way,
      This view of it which, better far expressed,
      Runs through your argument."  Then leave the rest
      To him, secure that he'll perform his trust
      And prove your views intelligent and just.
                                                      Conmore Apel Brune