debate

[[t]dɪbe͟ɪt[/t]]

♦♦

debates, debating, debated

1) N-VAR: oft N on/over/about n A debate is a discussion about a subject on which people have different views.

An intense debate is going on within the Israeli government...

There has been a lot of debate among scholars about this.

Syn:

discussion

2) N-COUNT: oft N on/about n A debate is a formal discussion, for example in a parliament or institution, in which people express different opinions about a particular subject and then vote on it.

There are expected to be some heated debates in parliament over the next few days.

Derived words:

debating N-UNCOUNT oft N n

It is an excellent idea to encourage them to join a school debating society.

...debating skills.

3) V-RECIP If people debate a topic, they discuss it fairly formally, putting forward different views. You can also say that one person debates a topic with another person.

[pl-n V n] The United Nations Security Council will debate the issue today...

[pl-n V n] The causes of anorexia are much debated...

[pl-n V wh] Scholars have debated whether or not Yagenta became a convert...

[V n with n] He is a bulky and belligerent newspaperman who debates issues with his friends. [Also V with n]

4) VERB If you debate whether to do something or what to do, you think or talk about possible courses of action before deciding exactly what you are going to do.

[V wh] Taggart debated whether to have yet another double vodka...

[V wh] At the moment we are debating what furniture to buy for the house...

[V -ing] I debated going back inside, but weariness won out and I started the car and drove off.

5) PHRASE: v-link PHR If you say that a matter is open to debate, you mean that people have different opinions about it, or it has not yet been firmly decided.

The Government is committed to enforcing some of the recommendations, but others will be open to debate.

Syn:

debatable