debate

To participate in a debate; to dispute, argue, especially in a public arena.ambitransitivereciprocal

• "Debate me, coward!" snarled the completely normal intellectual.

To fight.intransitiveobsoletereciprocal

• Well knew they both his person, sith of late / With him in bloudie armes they rashly did debate.
• […] wasteful Time debateth with Decay, To change your day of youth to sullied night

To engage in combat for; to strive for.obsoletetransitive

• Volunteers […] thronged to serve under his banner, and the cause of religion was debated with the same ardour in Spain as on the plains of Palestine.

To consider (to oneself), to think over, to attempt to decidetransitive

• He was debating where he'd spend his holiday.

An argument, or discussion, usually in an ordered or formal setting, often with more than two people, generally ending with a vote or other decision.countableuncountable

• After a four-hour debate, the committee voted to table the motion.

An informal and spirited but generally civil discussion of opposing views.countableuncountable

• The debate over the age of the universe is thousands of years old.
• There was a bit of a debate over who should pay for the damaged fence.

Discussion of opposing views.uncountable

• There has been considerable debate concerning exactly how to format these articles.

A type of literary composition, taking the form of a discussion or disputation, commonly found in the vernacular medieval poetry of many European countries, as well as in medieval Latin.countableuncountable

Strife, discord.countableobsoleteuncountable