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sophistry

 
(sŏf'ĭ-strē) pronunciation
n., pl., -tries.
  1. Plausible but fallacious argumentation.
  2. A plausible but misleading or fallacious argument.

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Obscure Words:

sophistry

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deceptively subtle reasoning or argumentation; an argument used to deceive
Devil's Dictionary:

sophistry

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A cynical view of the world by Ambrose Bierce


n.

The controversial method of an opponent, distinguished from one's own by superior insincerity and fooling. This method is that of the later Sophists, a Grecian sect of philosophers who began by teaching wisdom, prudence, science, art and, in brief, whatever men ought to know, but lost themselves in a maze of quibbles and a fog of words.

    His bad opponent's "facts" he sweeps away,
    And drags his sophistry to light of day;
    Then swears they're pushed to madness who resort
    To falsehood of so desperate a sort.
    Not so; like sods upon a dead man's breast,
    He lies most lightly who the least is pressed.
                                                        Polydore Smith


Word Tutor:

sophistry

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pronunciation

IN BRIEF: An argument that is sound in appearance only.

pronunciation Abuse of words has been the great instrument of sophistry and chicanery, of party, faction, and division of society. — John Adams (1735-1826).

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Random House Word Menu:

categories related to 'sophistry'

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Random House Word Menu by Stephen Glazier
For a list of words related to sophistry, see:

Translations:

Sophistry

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - sofisteri

Nederlands (Dutch)
spitsvondigheid, sofistiek

Français (French)
n. - sophisme

Deutsch (German)
n. - Sophisterei

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - σοφιστεία, σοφιστική, μέθοδος των σοφιστών

Italiano (Italian)
sofisma

Português (Portuguese)
n. - sofística (f), sofisma (m)

Русский (Russian)
софистика, софизм

Español (Spanish)
n. - sofistería, sofisma

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - sofisteri, spetsfynderi, ordklyveri

中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
诡辩, 谬论, 诡辩法

中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 詭辯, 謬論, 詭辯法

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 궤변, 궤변법, 억지 이론

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 詭弁法, 詭弁

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) مغالطه, سفسطه‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮פלפלנות, נימוק מטעה, הטעיה, סופיזם‬


 
 

 

Copyrights:

American Heritage Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Roget's Thesaurus. Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary Copyright © 1995 byHoughton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Obscure Words. © 2008 by Michael A. Fischer http://home.comcast.net/~wwftd Read more
Devil's Dictionary. Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce, 1911  Read more
Word Tutor. Copyright © 2004-present by eSpindle Learning, a 501(c) nonprofit organization. All rights reserved.
eSpindle provides personalized spelling and vocabulary tutoring online; sign up free Read more
Random House Word Menu. © 2010 Write Brothers Inc. Word Menu is a registered trademark of the Estate of Stephen Glazier. Write Brothers Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
 Rhymes. Oxford University Press. © 2006, 2007 All rights reserved.  Read more
Translations. Copyright © 2007, WizCom Technologies Ltd. All rights reserved.  Read more

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