[‘ /trans./ To attack or oppose with words, action, influence, etc.; esp. to call into question, controvert, or dispute the truth or validity of (a statement, belief, argument, etc.). Now rare.']
Pronunciation: Brit. /əˈpjuːn/, U.S. /əˈpjun/
Forms: lME *opugne*, lME– *oppugn*, 15 *opponge*, 15–16 *oppugne*, 15–16 *oppung*, 16 *opugn*; also /Sc./ pre-17 *oppugne*, pre-17 *oppung*, pre-17 *oppungn*.
Etymology: < Middle French, French †/oppugner/ to attack, assault (c/1372–4), to attack the truth of, to resist (Cotgrave 1611), and its etymon classical Latin /oppugnāre to oppose in speech or action, to attack, to fight against, assail, assault, besiege, (of a thing) to be opposed to, run contrary to, in post-classical Latin also to prevail upon (1578 in the passage translated in quot. 1596 at sense 1a) < /ob-* ob- prefix + /pugnāre* to fight (see pugne v.). Compare Italian /oppugnare/ (14th cent. in sense ‘to attack, assault’; now literary).
On the pronunciation history see E. J. Dobson Eng. Pronunc. 1500–1700 (ed. 2, 1968) II. §§ 324, 441.
/rare/ in later use.
*1.*
*a.* /trans./ To attack or oppose with words, action, influence, etc.; esp. to call into question, controvert, or dispute the truth or validity of (a statement, belief, argument, etc.). Now rare.
?1435 in C. L. Kingsford /Chrons. London/ (1905) 22 (MED), I swere..that I shall neuer contrarye, ne repugne to this resignacion, renounsyng, dymyssion, and yeldyng vp; ne neuer opugne hem in no maner wyse, in dede ne in worde.
1529 T. More /Dialogue Heresyes/ iv. ix. 107 b/1 That wolde..so enemyously blaspheme and oppugne ye chyrch of Cryst.
1549 Coverdale et al. tr. Erasmus /Paraphr. Newe Test./ II. 1 John v. f. liiiv, He doeth wittynglye throughe malyce opponge them, whome God woulde well vnto.
1596 J. Dalrymple tr. J. Leslie /Hist. Scotl./ (1895) II. 414 Ȝe wald in ane and the same crime oppung the Maiestie of God, and my authoritie.
1634 T. Johnson tr. A. Paré /Chirurg. Wks./ xxvi. xx. 1049 The simple medicine alone, hath not strength enough to oppugne the disease.
/a/1683 A. Sidney /Disc. Govt./ (1704) i. §5 10 He that oppugns the publick Liberty, overthrows his own.
1742 R. North & M. North /Life F. North/ 229 Then, and afterwards, he openly oppugned Popery.
1817 S. T. Coleridge /Biogr. Lit./ (1882) iii. 26 In promiscuous company no prudent man will oppugn the merits of a contemporary in his own supposed department.
1882 /Knowledge/ No. 16. 334 Inviting the officials whose judgment was oppugned to say whether they were mistaken.
1896 /Amer. Hist. Rev./ *1* 498 McKean moved to reconsider the Resolution of Yesterday about small Debtors, Apprentices and Infants enlisting, he was oppugned and withdrew his Motion.
1986 /Guardian/ (Nexis) 25 Aug., Computers compete.., options are opted for or oppugned.
2002 /Africa News/ (Nexis) 21 Oct., We should not oppugn the intellectuals only because of their enlightened status.
†*b.* /trans./ Of a thing: to be opposed to, conflict with, run counter to. Obs.
1584 R. Scot /Discouerie Witchcraft/ xvi. viii. 484 Certeine parts thereof..doo not directlie oppugne my purpose.
1615 in /Buccleuch MSS/ (Hist. MSS Comm.) (1899) I. 169 A contract so..unjust, as nothing doth more oppugn the Law of Nature.
/c/1670 T. Hobbes /Dial. Common Laws Eng./ 62 When Law and Conscience, or Law and Equity seem to oppugne one another, the written Law should be preferr’d.
†*c.* /intr./ To contend or stand in opposition; spec. to speak as defender or opponent in a debate (cf. oppose v. 1b). Obs.
1591 /Troublesome Raigne Iohn/ ii. sig. B3, Vnworthie man..That dost oppugne against thy Mother Church.
/c/1616 R. C. /Times’ Whistle/ (1871) Epigrammi Satiron 53 Every one..can doe nothing if the prohibition Of the Almighty doe oppugne.
1630 R. Blair /Life/ (1848) 87 The matter was the decree of reprobation, and he to oppugn.
1714 J. Macky /Journey through Eng./ (1724) I. viii. 142 A Youth..before he can be a Batchelor of Arts..must publickly oppugn for several Days.
†*2.* /trans./
*a.* To fight against, attack, assail, assault, or besiege. Obs. (rare in later use).
In quot. 1615 used fig.
?/a/1475 (▸?a1425) tr. R. Higden /Polychron./ (Harl.) (1871) III. 269 (MED), Furius Camillus oppugnede the walles in an oþer parte of the cite.
1570 J. Foxe /Actes & Monumentes/ (rev. ed.) I. 316/1 This towne of Achon..as it was mightely oppugned by the Christians, so it was strongly defended by the Saracens.
1597 T. Beard /Theatre Gods Iudgements/ i. xxx. 171 He was induced..to oppugne the Emperour Henry by armes.
1615 J. Greene /Refut. Apol. Actors/ 21 All the Bulwarks and Fortresses therein raysed to oppugne the trueth.
1643 W. Prynne /Soveraigne Power Parl./ iii. 3 The Parliament..may not onely lawfully resist, but oppugne, suppresse all Forces raised against it.
1860 E. B. Browning /Italy & World/ xii, That nation still is predominant Whose pulse beats quickest in zeal to oppugn or Succour another, in wrong or want.
*b.* To withstand or resist (an attack). /Obs./ /rare/—1.
1636 T. Heywood /Rape Lucrece/ iii. iv, in /Wks./ (1874) V. 205 The walles made to oppugne Hostile incursions.
†*3.* /trans./ To prevail upon, win over. /Obs./ /rare/—1.
1596 J. Dalrymple tr. J. Leslie /Hist. Scotl./ (1888) I. 213 The King of Peychtes..sum of the Peychtes he oppugnes for money, quha figurand thame selfes Britonis, walde..throuch deceit put doun Constantine King of Britannie.
†*4.* /trans./ To oppose (a statement, argument, etc.) to another; to maintain in opposition that. Obs.
1781 C. Johnstone /Hist. John Juniper/ I. 126 To this opinion it is oppugned with equal verisimilitude, that [etc.].
1849 /Tait’s Edinb. Mag./ *16* 296/1 Lord Kaimes thinks it sufficient to oppugn that musical proportions and those of architecture are addressed to different senses.
Derivatives
oˈppugnable adj. /rare/ capable of being oppugned.
1646 J. Goodwin /Anapologesiates Antapologias/ i. iv. 187 To straine the opinion of their adversary,..by representing it either with some such addition to it, or detraction from it, which renders it the more oppugnable.
1830 /Knickerbocker/ Apr. 284 Similar works were contemplated on the North River, and the oppugnable portions of the town were reformed and strengthened.