thrust of the argument
1
5.6
- noun
:
núcleo del argumento
- He highlighted the thrust of the argument during the discussion to clarify why change was necessary.
Examples
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Adding physics into the mix tends, therefore, to distract from the main thrust of the argument—making me think about two complex things instead of just one.
Blog text (2) -
The professor summarized the thrust of the argument in her lecture to ensure everyone understood the main point.
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Can we deal with the main thrust of the argument?
Blog text (28) -
Whatever other views that group may hold are incidental to the thrust of the argument: "Not all Jews support Israel."
Blog text (28) -
But I realize that is not the thrust of the argument or of this thread, and thus I am sorry if that is the direction it seemed I was trying to take things.
Blog text (13) -
But the thrust of the argument is still that libertarians aren't grateful for the services they, as dependents, receive from the government.
Blog text (11) -
In the debate, the thrust of the argument focused on the importance of renewable energy sources.
Synonyms
166
6.7
The main idea of a speech or piece of writing
46
4.6
The main point of what someone says or writes
43
3.1
A main idea in a talk or report
34
7.5
The main point that decides what matters most in an issue
30
3.7
The main person, thing, or idea that gets most attention
13
3.9
The most important part of a problem or discussion
6
6.7
The main point people argue about in a discussion
5
2.9
The most important point someone makes in a discussion or essay
4
5.6
The most important part of a problem or discussion
The most important point people discuss in a disagreement
The main point of a discussion or argument
The main point of an argument said in a strong way
The main idea that connects the points someone makes
Antonyms
How Central
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'the central point' is directly derivable from combining 'thrust' (a forceful push) with 'argument' (a set of reasons): the physical idea of a force maps transparently to the main force or point of reasoning. This metaphorical but straightforward mapping is common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words would likely infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Thrust of the argument uses thrust in its literal sense of a strong push or a spear strike. Imagine a spear hitting the centre of a target — that hit is the thrust, so the phrase means the 'main point' or central idea of the argument.