- sophistry
- soph|is|try [ `safıstri ] noun count or uncount FORMALarguments or explanations that seem clever and correct but are really false and used for tricking people
Usage of the words and phrases in modern English. 2013.
sophistry
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Sophistry — Soph ist*ry, n. [OE. sophistrie, OF. sophisterie.] 1. The art or process of reasoning; logic. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] 2. The practice of a sophist; fallacious reasoning; reasoning sound in appearance only. [1913 Webster] The juggle of sophistry… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
sophistry — I noun casuistry, cavil, chicanery, deception, distortion, equivocation, evasion, evasive reasoning, fallacious reasoning, false logic, misrepresentation, specious reasoning II index casuistry, fallacy, non sequitur, subterfuge … Law dictionary
sophistry — mid 14c., from O.Fr. sophistrie, from M.L. sophistria, from L. sophista, sophistes (see SOPHIST (Cf. sophist)) … Etymology dictionary
sophistry — *fallacy, sophism, casuistry Analogous words: plausibility, speciousness (see corresponding adjectives at PLAUSIBLE): equivocation, *ambiguity, tergiversation: evading or evasion, avoiding or avoidance (see corresponding verbs at ESCAPE) … New Dictionary of Synonyms
sophistry — ► NOUN (pl. sophistries) 1) the use of false arguments, especially to deceive. 2) a false argument … English terms dictionary
sophistry — [säf′is trē] n. pl. sophistries [ME sophistrie < ML sophistria] 1. unsound or misleading but clever, plausible, and subtle argument or reasoning; sophism 2. the methods or practices of the Sophists … English World dictionary
sophistry — n. 1) pure sophistry 2) sophistry to + inf. (it s pure sophistry to rationalize such behavior) * * * [ sɒfɪstrɪ] pure sophistry sophistry to + inf. (it s pure sophistry to rationalize such behavior) … Combinatory dictionary
sophistry — soph|ist|ry [ˈsɔfıstri US ˈsa: ] n plural sophistries [U and C] formal [Date: 1300 1400; : Medieval Latin; Origin: sophistria, from Latin sophista one who uses sophistry , from Greek sophistes wise man, teacher of knowledge, user of sophistry ,… … Dictionary of contemporary English
sophistry — [[t]sɒ̱fɪstri[/t]] N UNCOUNT Sophistry is the practice of using clever arguments that sound convincing but are in fact false. [FORMAL] Political selection is more dependent on sophistry and less on economic literacy … English dictionary
sophistry — UK [ˈsɒfɪstrɪ] / US [ˈsɑfɪstrɪ] noun [countable/uncountable] Word forms sophistry : singular sophistry plural sophistries formal arguments or explanations that seem clever and correct but are really false and used for tricking people … English dictionary
sophistry — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) n. sophism; false or specious reasoning; casuistry; fallaciousness, paralogism; shift, subterfuge, equivocation; absurdity, inconsistency; hair splitting. See falsehood. II (Roget s IV) n. Syn. sophism,… … English dictionary for students
