dispute

views updated May 18 2018

dis·pute / disˈpyoōt/ • n. a disagreement, argument, or debate: a territorial dispute between the two countries the question in dispute is altogether insignificant. ∎  a disagreement between management and employees that leads to an action of protest by the employees: if this dispute cannot be resolved quickly, a formal strike is inevitable.• v. [tr.] argue about (something); discuss heatedly: I disputed the charge on the bill | [intr.] he taught and disputed with local poets. ∎  question whether (a statement or alleged fact) is true or valid: the accusations are not disputed | the estate disputes that it is responsible for the embankment. ∎  compete for; strive to win: the two drivers crashed while disputing the lead. ∎ archaic resist (a landing or advance): the Sudanese chose Teb as the ground upon which to dispute the advance.PHRASES: beyond dispute certain or certainly; without doubt: the main part of his argument was beyond dispute.open to dispute not definitely decided: such estimates are always open to dispute.DERIVATIVES: dis·pu·tant / -ˈpyoōtnt/ n.dis·put·er n.

Dispute

views updated May 21 2018

DISPUTE

A conflict or controversy; a conflict of claims or rights; an assertion of a right, claim, or demand on one side, met by contrary claims or allegations on the other. The subject of litigation; the matter for which a suit is brought and upon which issue is joined, and in relation to which jurors are called and witnesses examined.

A labor dispute is any disagreement between an employer and his or her employees concerning anything job-related, such as tenure, hours, wages, fringe benefits, and employment conditions.

dispute

views updated Jun 08 2018

dispute debate or discourse argumentatively XIII; debate upon XIV; argue against, contest XVI. — (O)F. disputer — L. disputāre argue, debate, f. DIS- 1 + putāre reckon, consider.
Hence as sb. XVII. So disputation XIV, disputant XVII.