logic
n. · v.-
1 clear reasoning (n.) B2 Upper Intermediatea way of thinking about something that is sensible and based on good reasons.
the quality of being justifiable by reason; sound, clear, and sensible thinking.
ExampleThere is no logic in spending all your money before you pay your rent.
ExampleThe logic behind the government's decision to raise taxes during a recession was questioned by several prominent economists.
- irrationality
- absurdity
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2 the study of reasoning (n.) C1 Advanced Academic Philosophythe formal study of the rules of reasoning and how to make a valid argument.
the branch of philosophy and mathematics that deals with the formal principles of valid inference and demonstration.
ExampleIn my first year at university, I took a course on formal logic.
ExampleAristotelian logic remained the dominant framework for deductive reasoning in the Western world for over two millennia.
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3 a specific system (n.) B2 Upper Intermediatea particular set of rules or ideas used to solve a problem or explain a situation.
a specific system of reasoning or a set of principles underlying a particular field or practice.
ExampleI don't understand the logic of this computer program's layout.
ExampleTo understand the cultural conflict, one must first grasp the internal logic of each group's belief system.
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4 electronics (n.) C1 Advanced Technical Computingthe electronic circuits in a computer that perform basic tasks using 'true' or 'false' signals.
the physical arrangement of circuits or gates in a computer or digital system that performs Boolean operations.
ExampleThe technician found a fault in the control logic of the motherboard.
ExampleModern processors integrate billions of transistors to execute complex logic operations at incredible speeds.
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5 to reason through (v.) C2 Proficiency Formalto use careful thinking to solve a problem or understand a situation.
to apply logical reasoning to a problem or to persuade someone using a logical argument.
ExampleWe need to logic out the best way to finish the project on time.
ExampleThe detective attempted to logic his way through the suspect's contradictory statements to find the truth.
UsageOften used with 'out' as in 'to logic something out'.
From Middle English logike, from Old French and Latin logicus, from Ancient Greek λογῐκός (logĭkós).
From Middle English logik, from Old French logike, from Latin logica, from Ancient Greek λογική (logikḗ, “logic”), from feminine of λογικός (logikós, “of or pertaining to speech or reason or reasoning, rational, reasonable”), from λόγος (lógos, “speech, reason”). Displaced native Old English flitcræft (literally “art of arguing”).