Controversy

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: con=tro=ver=sy

CIDE DICTIONARY

Controversy, n. [L. controversia, fr. controversus turned against, disputed; contro- = contra + versus, p. p. of vertere to turn. See Verse.].

•  Contention; dispute; debate; discussion; agitation of contrary opinions.  [1913 Webster]

  "This left no room for controversy about the title."  [1913 Webster]

  "A dispute is commonly oral, and a controversy in writing."  [1913 Webster]
•  Quarrel; strife; cause of variance; difference.  [1913 Webster]

  "The Lord hath a controversy with the nations."  [1913 Webster]
•  A suit in law or equity; a question of right.  [1913 Webster]

  "When any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment."

Syn. -- Dispute; debate; disputation; disagreement; altercation; contention; wrangle; strife; quarrel.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Controversy, disp. n. (pl. -ies) a prolonged argument or dispute, esp. when conducted publicly.

Etymology

ME f. L controversia (as CONTROVERT)

DEVIL DICTIONARY

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

THESAURUS

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

ROGET THESAURUS

Controversy

Contention

N contention, strife, contest, contestation, struggle, belligerency, opposition, controversy, polemics, debate, war of words, logomachy, litigation, paper war, high words, sparring, competition, rivalry, corrivalry, corrivalship, agonism, concours, match, race, horse racing, heat, steeple chase, handicap, regatta, field day, sham fight, Derby day, turf, sporting, bullfight, tauromachy, gymkhana, boat race, torpids, wrestling, greco-roman wrestling, pugilism, boxing, fisticuffs, the manly art of self-defense, spar, mill, set-to, round, bout, event, prize fighting, quarterstaff, single stick, gladiatorship, gymnastics, jiujitsu, jujutsu, kooshti, sumo, athletics, athletic sports, games of skill, shindy, fracas, clash of arms, tussle, scuffle, broil, fray, affray, affrayment, velitation, colluctation, luctation, brabble, brigue, scramble, melee, scrimmage, stramash, bushfighting, free fight, stand up fight, hand to hand, running fight, conflict, skirmish, rencounter, encounter, rencontre, collision, affair, brush, fight, battle, battle royal, combat, action, engagement, joust, tournament, tilt, tilting, tournay, list, pitched battle, death struggle, struggle for life or death, life or death struggle, Armageddon, hard knocks, sharp contest, tug of war, naval engagement, naumachia, sea fight, duel, duello, single combat, monomachy, satisfaction, passage d'armes, passage of arms, affair of honor, triangular duel, hostile meeting, digladiation, deeds of arms, feats of arms, appeal to arms, pugnacity, combativeness, bone of contention, contending, together by the ears, at loggerheads, at war, at issue, competitive, rival, belligerent, contentious, combative, bellicose, unpeaceful, warlike, quarrelsome, pugnacious, pugilistic, gladiatorial, palestric, palestrical, a verbis ad verbera, a word and a blow, a very pretty quarrel as it stands, commune periculum concordiam parit, lis litem generat.

Reasoning,

N reasoning ratiocination rationalism, dialectics, induction, generalization, discussion, comment, ventilation, inquiry, argumentation, controversy, debate, polemics, wrangling, contention, logomachy, disputation, disceptation, paper war, art of reasoning, logic, process of reasoning, train of reasoning, chain of reasoning, deduction, induction, abduction, synthesis, analysis, argument, case, plaidoyer, opening, lemma, proposition, terms, premises, postulate, data, starting point, principle, inference, prosyllogism, syllogism, enthymeme, sorites, dilemma, perilepsis, a priori reasoning, reductio ad absurdum, horns of a dilemma, argumentum ad hominem, comprehensive argument, empirema, epagoge, reasoner, logician, dialectician, disputant, controversialist, controvertist, wrangler, arguer, debater polemic, casuist, rationalist, scientist, eristic, logical sequence, good case, correct just reasoning, sound reasoning, valid reasoning, cogent reasoning, logical reasoning, forcible reasoning, persuasive reasoning, persuasory reasoning, consectary reasoning, conclusive, subtle reasoning, force of argument, strong point, strong argument, persuasive argument, arguments, reasons, pros and cons, reasoning, rationalistic, argumentative, controversial, dialectic, polemical, discursory, discursive, disputatious, Aristotelian, eristic, eristical, debatable, controvertible, logical, relevant, for, because, hence, whence, seeing that, since, sith, then thence so, for that reason, for this reason, for which reason, for as, inasmuch as, whereas, ex concesso, considering, in consideration of, therefore, wherefore, consequently, ergo, thus, accordingly, a fortiori, in conclusion, in fine, finally, after all, au bout du compt, on the whole, taking one thing with another, ab actu ad posse valet consecutio, per troppo dibatter la verita si perde, troppo disputare la verita fa errare.