Lewis & Short

dis-pŭto, āvi, ātum, 1, v. n. and a.

  1. I. Orig. in mercant. lang., to cast or reckon up, to calculate a sum by going over its items; to estimate, compute: ubi disputata est ratio cum argentario, Plaut. Aul. 3, 5, 55.
  2. II. Transf. beyond the mercant. sphere, to weigh, examine, investigate, treat of, discuss a doubtful subject, either by meditating or (more commonly) by speaking upon it (good prose; very freq. in Cicero’s philos. and rhet. writings; cf. for syn.: dissero, discepto); constr. usual. with accus. of neutr. pron. or with de and abl. (cf. Krebs, Antibarb. p. 372): in meo corde eam rem volutavi et diu disputavi, Plaut. Most. 1, 2, 4: ea, quae disputavi, disserere malui quam judicare, Cic. N. D. 3, 40 fin.: neque haec in eam sententiam disputo, ut, etc., id. de Or. 1, 25, 117: aliquid pro tribunali multis verbis, id. Fam. 3, 8, 3: hoc, id. Tusc. 1, 34, 83 et saep.: (Druides) multa de sideribus atque eorum motu, etc. … disputant, Caes. B. G. 6, 14 fin.: de moribus, de virtutibus, de re publica, Cic. Rep. 1, 10: de omni re in contrarias partes, id. de Or. 1, 34, 158: cf. id. Verr. 2, 5, 3 fin.; id. Fam. 11, 27 fin.; Caes. B. C. 1, 86, 3: ab his, qui contra disputant, Cic. Rep. 1, 3; cf. id. ib. 1, 18: non inscite ad ea disputat, quae, etc., id. Tusc. 3, 9; cf. id. ib. 1, 4, 7; id. Rep. 1, 16: quale sit de quo disputabitur, id. ib. 1, 24: disputatur in consilio a Petreio et Afranio, Caes. B. C. 1, 67 et saep.: nunc utriusque disceptator eccum adest, age disputa, i. e. relate, tell, Plaut. Most. 5, 2, 16; cf. id. Rud. 3, 4, 13: rem alicui, i. e. to state, represent, id. Men. prol. 50.
    With acc. and inf.: isti in eo disputant, Contaminari non decere fabulas, i. e. maintain, Ter. And. prol. 15 Ruhnk.
    1. B. In late Lat.
      1. 1. To discuss, preach: in synagoga, Vulg. Act. 17, 17; 18, 4; 20, 9.
      2. 2. To dispute, contend in words: quis eorum major esset, Vulg. Marc. 9, 33: cum diabolo, id. Jud. 9.