discuss

views updated May 14 2018

dis·cuss / disˈkəs/ • v. [tr.] talk about (something) with another person or group of people: I discussed the matter with my wife | they were discussing where to go for a drink. ∎  talk or write about (a topic) in detail, taking into account different ideas and opinions: in Chapter Six I discuss problems that arise in applying Darwin's ideas.DERIVATIVES: dis·cuss·a·ble adj.dis·cuss·er n.ORIGIN: late Middle English (in the sense ‘dispel, disperse,’ also ‘examine by argument’): from Latin discuss- ‘dashed to pieces,’ later ‘investigated,’ from the verb discutere, from dis- ‘apart’ + quatere ‘shake.’

discuss

views updated May 11 2018

discuss
A. investigate, decide XIV; examine by argument XV;

B. †dispel, disperse XIV. f. discuss-, pp. stem of L. discutere dash to pieces, disperse, dispel, in Rom. investigate; f. DIS- 1 + quatere shake.
So discussion XIV. — OF. — L.