(~s)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
An ~ is a statement or set of statements that you use in order to try to convince people that your opinion about something is correct.
There’s a strong ~ for lowering the price...
The doctors have set out their ~s against the proposals...
N-VAR: oft N for/against n/-ing, N that
2.
An ~ is a discussion or debate in which a number of people put forward different or opposing opinions.
The incident has triggered fresh ~s about the role of the extreme right in France...
= debate
N-VAR: oft N about/over n
3.
An ~ is a conversation in which people disagree with each other angrily or noisily.
Anny described how she got into an ~ with one of the marchers.
...a heated ~.
N-COUNT: oft N with n, N between pl-n
4.
If you accept something without ~, you do not question it or disagree with it.
He complied without ~...
= question
N-UNCOUNT: with brd-neg
5.
see also counter-~