issue

[ ish-ooor, especially British, is-yoo ]

noun

1. the act of sending out or putting forth; promulgation; distribution:

   the issue of food and blankets to flood victims.

2. something that is printed or published and distributed, especially a given number of a periodical:

   Have you seen the latest issue of the magazine?

   Synonyms: printing, edition

3. something that is sent out or put forth in any form.
4. a quantity of something that is officially offered for sale or put into circulation at one time:

   a new issue of commemorative stamps;

   a new bond issue.

5. a point in question or a matter that is in dispute, as between contending parties in an action at law.

   Synonyms: crux

6. a point, matter, or dispute, the decision of which is of special or public importance:

   the political issues.

   Synonyms: question, problem

7. a point, the decision of which determines a matter:

   The real issue in the strike was the right to bargain collectively.

   Synonyms: question, problem, crux

8. a point at which a matter is ready for decision:

   to bring a case to an issue.

9. something proceeding from any source, as a product, effect, result, or consequence:

   His words were the issue of an intelligent man.

10. Often issues.
    1. a personal or emotional problem:

       I had issues that prevented me from doing well in school.

    2. any problem or difficulty:

       Sorry I'm late—I had an issue with parking.

11. the ultimate result, event, or outcome of a proceeding, affair, etc.:

    the issue of a contest.

    Synonyms: end, conclusion, upshot

12. a distribution of food rations, clothing, equipment, or ammunition to a number of officers or enlisted soldiers, or to a military unit.
13. offspring; progeny:

    to die without issue.

14. a going, coming, passing, or flowing out:

    free issue and entry.

15. a place or means of egress; outlet or exit.
16. something that comes out, as an outflowing stream.
17. Pathology.
    1. a discharge of blood, pus, or the like.
    2. an incision, ulcer, or the like, emitting such a discharge.
18. is·sues, English Law. the profits from land or other property.
19. the printing of copies of a work from the original setting of type with some slight changes:

    the third issue of the poem.

20. Obsolete. a proceeding or action.

verb (used with object)

, is·sued, is·su·ing.

1. to put out; deliver for use, sale, etc.; put into circulation.
2. to mint, print, or publish for sale or distribution:

   to issue a new coin;

   to issue a reprint of a book.

3. to give or grant officially to a particular person or group:

   The United States is the first country to issue a patent for an animal developed using biological techniques.

4. to distribute (food, clothing, equipment, etc.) to members of the military, employees, students, etc.
5. to send out; discharge; emit.

verb (used without object)

, is·sued, is·su·ing.

1. to go, pass, or flow out; come forth; emerge:

   to issue forth to battle.

   Antonyms: return

2. to be sent, put forth, or distributed authoritatively or publicly, as a legal writ or money.
3. to be published, as a book.
4. to originate or proceed from any source.

   Synonyms: spring, arise, emanate, flow

5. to arise as a result or consequence; result:

   a reaction that issues from the stimulus.

   Synonyms: ensue

6. Chiefly Law. to proceed as offspring, or be born or descended.
7. Chiefly Law. to come as a yield or profit, as from land.
8. Archaic. to have the specified outcome, result, etc. (often followed by in ).
9. Obsolete. to end; terminate.

issue

/ ˈɪʃuː; ˈɪsjuː /

noun

1. the act of sending or giving out something; supply; delivery
2. something issued; an edition of stamps, a magazine, etc
3. the number of identical items, such as banknotes or shares in a company, that become available at a particular time
4. the act of emerging; outflow; discharge
5. something flowing out, such as a river
6. a place of outflow; outlet
7. the descendants of a person; offspring; progeny
8. a topic of interest or discussion
9. an important subject requiring a decision
10. an outcome or consequence; result
11. pathol
    1. a suppurating sore
    2. discharge from a wound
12. law the matter remaining in dispute between the parties to an action after the pleadings
13. the yield from or profits arising out of land or other property
14. military the allocation of items of government stores, such as food, clothing, and ammunition
15. library science
    1. the system for recording current loans
    2. the number of books loaned in a specified period
16. obsolete.
    an act, deed, or proceeding
17. at issue
    1. under discussion
    2. in disagreement
18. force the issue
    to compel decision on some matter
19. join issue
    1. to join in controversy
    2. to submit an issue for adjudication
20. take issue
    to disagree

verb

1. to come forth or emerge or cause to come forth or emerge
2. to publish or deliver (a newspaper, magazine, etc)
3. tr to make known or announce
4. intr to originate or proceed
5. intr to be a consequence; result
6. intrfoll byin to end or terminate
7. tr
   1. to give out or allocate (equipment, a certificate, etc) officially to someone
   2. foll by with to supply officially (with)

Derived Forms

• ˈissueless, adjective
• ˈissuer, noun

Other Words From

• is·sue·less adjective
• is·su·er noun
• out·is·sue verb (used with object) outissued outissuing
• pre·is·sue noun verb (used with object) preissued preissuing
• self-is·su·ing adjective
• un·der·is·sue noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of issue¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; from Middle English, from Middle French: “place or passage out”; from Old French (e)issue, from unattested Vulgar Latin exūta, noun use of feminine of unattested exūtus, Latin exitus “act or means of going out,” for the noun senses; from Middle English issuen, derivative of the noun, or from Middle French, Old French (e)issu, past participle of issir “to go out” (ultimately derived from Latin exīre ) for the verb senses; exit ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of issue¹

C13: from Old French eissue way out, from eissir to go out, from Latin exīre, from ex- ¹+ īre to go

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. at issue,
   1. being disputed or under discussion.
   2. being at opposite viewpoints; in disagreement:

      Medical experts are still at issue over the proper use of tranquilizers.

2. join issue,
   1. to enter into controversy or take exception to.
   2. to submit an issue jointly for legal decision.
3. take issue, to disagree; dispute:

   He took issue with me on my proposal for a new advertising campaign.

More idioms and phrases containing issue

see at issue ; take issue with .

Example Sentences

He was more explicit about this disparagement during an event in Pennsylvania earlier this year, when he charged that Biden “has got some big issues” because the former vice president is so often seen wearing a mask.

From Washington Post

They want to pass good legislation, because it’s not just a political-messaging issue.

From Washington Post

Among them, 61 percent said voter fraud is a major problem with voting by mail, with only 1 percent saying it’s not an issue at all.

From Washington Post

If you run into any issues at the polls during early voting or on Election Day, ask a poll worker for help.

From ProPublica

This tactic is now becoming more overt, and it is spreading to other issues.

From Washington Post

But the tide was turning on this issue, an email from another constituent made clear.

From The Daily Beast

Like many Americans—but few Republican presidential candidates—the former Florida governor has evolved on the issue.

From The Daily Beast

The most recent issue contains detailed instructions for building car bombs, and the magazine frequently draws up hit-lists.

From The Daily Beast

“They are hypocritical on this very issue,” Shearer said about Obama, Attorney General Eric Holder and other public officials.

From The Daily Beast

In this cockamamie get-rich scheme, would they all issue an apology if he cut a check?

From The Daily Beast

The place was well defended by earthworks and natural parapets, and for several hours the issue of the contest was doubtful.

From Project Gutenberg

In one sense, then, the new issue has adequate expansibility for ordinary needs.

From Project Gutenberg

Accordingly, the question "How far does the note issue under the new system seem likely to prove an elastic one?"

From Project Gutenberg

From that region they issue to inflict diseases, especially blindness and deafness.

From Project Gutenberg

That—and no existing institution and no current issue—is the primary concern of the present age.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• affair
• argument
• concern
• controversy
• matter
• point
• problem
• question
• subject
• topic

When To Use

What are other ways to say issue?

To issue is to go, pass, or flow out. How is issue different from emanate and emerge? Find out on Thesaurus.com.