dispute
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a serious argument or disagreement, especially one that lasts a long time.
n.a formal or public disagreement between parties, often involving legal, industrial, or territorial claims.
Simple“The two neighbors are in a long dispute over where the fence should be.”
In context“The labor dispute escalated when the union rejected the management's final offer, leading to a nationwide strike.”
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to say that a fact, statement, or result is not true or not correct.
v.to challenge the validity or accuracy of a statement, claim, or figure. Transitive — takes a direct object.
Simple“The player decided to dispute the referee's decision during the game.”
In context“The defense attorney sought to dispute the forensic evidence, arguing that the samples had been contaminated during transport.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
v.to fight for control of something, like a piece of land.
v.to compete for or strive to win something; often used regarding territory or power. Often used in the passive voice.
Simple“The two armies disputed the small island for several months.”
In context“The strategic mountain pass was fiercely disputed throughout the winter campaign, as both sides recognized its importance for the spring offensive.”
Usage dispute over pay
“Lungu died more than a year ago and his body remains unburied in South Africa, amid a bitter dispute between Lungu's family and Hichilema, which has heightened political divisions in Zambia.”
“The latest controversy concerns a dispute over the region’s libraries.”
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dews-? Proto-Indo-European *dus- Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ Proto-Indo-European *dwi- Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ Proto-Indo-European *dwís Latin dis- Proto-Italic *putos Latin putus? Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin putō Latin disputo Old French desputerbor. Middle English disputen English dispute From Middle English disputen, from Old French desputer (French disputer), from Latin disputāre (“to dispute, discuss, examine, compute, estimate”), from dis- (“apart”) + putāre (“to reckon, consider, think, originally make clean, clear up”), related to purus (“pure”). Compare compute, count, impute, repute, amputate, etc.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.