pith of the argument
- noun
- Formal
- The lawyer skillfully highlighted the pith of the argument in her closing statement.
Examples
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If we focus on the pith of the argument, we can resolve this disagreement faster.
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Can you summarize the pith of the argument?
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He explained the pith of the argument to ensure everyone understood the main point.
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The pith of the argument is clearly stated.
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He explained the pith of the argument to ensure everyone understood the main point.
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If we focus on the pith of the argument, we can resolve this disagreement faster.
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The lawyer skillfully highlighted the pith of the argument in her closing statement.
Synonyms
A main idea in a talk or report
The main point that decides what matters most in an issue
The most important part of a problem or discussion
The main point people argue about in a discussion
The most important point someone makes in a discussion or essay
The most important part of a problem or discussion
The main part of an idea or argument
The main point someone makes in a discussion
The most important point people discuss in a disagreement
The main point of an argument said in a strong way
Antonyms
How Central
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'the central or most important point of an argument' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'pith' (the essential part) with 'of the argument' which specifies the domain; this follows a straightforward noun + of + noun composition. Although 'pith' is not highly frequent, if a B1 learner knows the constituent meanings the overall phrase is predictable and has close parallels in other languages, so it is transparent.
Etymology
Pith of the argument comes from pith, the soft centre inside a plant stem. Just as the pith is the inner, most important part of the plant, the pith of the argument is the main idea, so it means 'the most important point'.