adduce

American  

[uh-doos, uh-dyoos] / əˈdus, əˈdyus /

verb (used with object)

adduced, adducing

1. to bring forward in argument or as evidence; cite as pertinent or conclusive.

   to adduce reasons in support of a constitutional amendment.

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adduce British  

/ əˈdjuːs, əˈdʌkʃən /

verb

1. (tr) to cite (reasons, examples, etc) as evidence or proof

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Other Word Forms

• adduceable adjective
• adducent adjective
• adducer noun
• adducible adjective
• adduction noun
• unadduceable adjective
• unadduced adjective
• unadducible adjective

Etymology

Origin of adduce

1610–20; < Latin addūcere to bring into, equivalent to ad- ad- + dūcere to lead

Explanation

When you adduce something, you offer proof in support of an argument. If you’re trying to prove that you didn’t eat the last cookie, you might adduce the fact that your dog’s mouth is covered in cookie crumbs. The word adduce comes from the Latin adducere, which means "to lead or bring along." If you were a lawyer, you might adduce, or bring forth, a witness in order to help your case. You might also adduce a piece of evidence, like a fact, to help with your argument. You might think of the word add to help you remember the definition of adduce: when you adduce something, you are adding to an argument by offering proof.

Example Sentences

They can neither attack nor defend, adduce facts or employ logic.

From Salon • Jul. 29, 2019

The rhetorical challenge is to adduce a unity—akin to herding cats—among a multitude of self-centered interests and causes.

From The New Yorker • May 20, 2019

There are so many Moore characters I could adduce as evidence of the formidable sensitivity and range of this human Stradivarius of an actress.

From Slate • Feb. 23, 2015

And there were few whose relationship with jazz was as meaningful; you can adduce clear relationships between his written and oral phrasing and the playing of John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Max Roach and Albert Ayler.

From New York Times • Jan. 17, 2014

The Post Office, having no authority to adduce, returned an evasive reply.

From The History of the Post Office From Its Establishment Down to 1836 by Joyce, Herbert