Topic
['tɒpɪk] or ['tɑpɪk]
Definition
(noun.) some situation or event that is thought about; 'he kept drifting off the topic'; 'he had been thinking about the subject for several years'; 'it is a matter for the police'.
Typist: Pansy--From WordNet
Definition
(n.) One of the various general forms of argument employed in probable as distinguished from demonstrative reasoning, -- denominated by Aristotle to`poi (literally, places), as being the places or sources from which arguments may be derived, or to which they may be referred; also, a prepared form of argument, applicable to a great variety of cases, with a supply of which the ancient rhetoricians and orators provided themselves; a commonplace of argument or oratory.
(n.) A treatise on forms of argument; a system or scheme of forms or commonplaces of argument or oratory; as, the Topics of Aristotle.
(n.) An argument or reason.
(n.) The subject of any distinct portion of a discourse, or argument, or literary composition; also, the general or main subject of the whole; a matter treated of; a subject, as of conversation or of thought; a matter; a point; a head.
(n.) An external local application or remedy, as a plaster, a blister, etc.
(a.) Topical.
Checker: Salvatore
Synonyms and Synonymous
n. [1]. Subject, theme, thesis, question, point, matter, subject-matter, matter in hand.[2]. Commonplace (of argument or oratory), general truth, general idea.
Inputed by Byron
Synonyms and Antonyms
SYN:Question, theme, subject, subject-matter,[See IMPLEMENT_and_AGENT]
Inputed by Alphonso
Definition
n. a subject of discourse or argument: a matter.—adj. Top′ical pertaining to a place: local: relating to a topic or subject: relating to things of local interest.—adv. Top′ically with reference to a particular place or topic.
Checked by Flossie
Examples
- Under such circumstances a judicious man changes the topic and enters on ground where his own gifts may be more useful. George Eliot. Middlemarch.
- This was, when he was asked a Parliamentary question on any one topic, to return an answer on any other. Charles Dickens. Little Dorrit.
- I am willing to amuse you, if I can, sir--quite willing; but I cannot introduce a topic, because how do I know what will interest you? Charlotte Bronte. Jane Eyre.
- You will soon have exhausted each favourite topic. Jane Austen. Sense and Sensibility.
- If you are an expert, your formed habits take care of the physical movements and leave your thoughts free to consider your topic. John Dewey. Democracy and Education.
- The same considerations apply to the value of a study or a topic of a study with reference to its motivating force. John Dewey. Democracy and Education.
- Personally,' said Mr Rugg, 'I have no opinion on the topic. Charles Dickens. Little Dorrit.
- In the first place, as long as any topic makes an immediate appeal, it is not necessary to ask what it is good for. John Dewey. Democracy and Education.
- The host replying willingly, Arthur lingered behind a moment, having his own word to add to that topic. Charles Dickens. Little Dorrit.
- Oh, Freddy---- Rosedale brushed aside the topic with an air of its unimportance which gave a sense of the immense perspective he had acquired. Edith Wharton. The House of Mirth.
- This abandonment of the second topic threw him on the third. Charles Dickens. Little Dorrit.
- When he had kept it so a little while, he said, drawing it back: Is Lucie the topic? Charles Dickens. A Tale of Two Cities.
- For heaven's sake don't touch on that topic, Elinor! George Eliot. Middlemarch.
- I tried a new topic immediately. Wilkie Collins. The Moonstone.
- In conversation Edison is direct, courteous, ready to discuss a topic with anybody worth talking to, and, in spite of his sore deafness, an excellent listener. Frank Lewis Dyer. Edison, His Life and Inventions.
- Not a word had been spoken during the present session on any of these topics. Mary Shelley. The Last Man.
- Mr. Spenlow and I falling into this conversation, prolonged it and our saunter to and fro, until we diverged into general topics. Charles Dickens. David Copperfield.
- My attention was far from him, and from the topics on which he discoursed so fluently. Wilkie Collins. The Woman in White.
- A few other topics of general interest were introduced by Mr. Brooke and wet-blanketed by Mrs. Brooke, and conversation languished. Louisa May Alcott. Little Women.
- The trinity of school topics is subject matter, methods, and administration or government. John Dewey. Democracy and Education.
- The statements may help a teacher to a larger vision of the possible results to be effected by instruction in mathematical topics. John Dewey. Democracy and Education.
- They had a dozen topics in common--interesting to them, unimportant to the rest of the world. Charlotte Bronte. Shirley.
- Pupils begin their study of science with texts in which the subject is organized into topics according to the order of the specialist. John Dewey. Democracy and Education.
- Oh,-- the ladies murmured; and Mrs. Archer added, partly to distract her daughter's attention from forbidden topics: Poor Regina! Edith Wharton. The Age of Innocence.
- I enlarged upon many other topics, which the natural desire of endless life, and sublunary happiness, could easily furnish me with. Jonathan Swift. Gulliver's Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World.
- Idris conversed with animation on a thousand topics. Mary Shelley. The Last Man.
- The like reserve prevailed on other topics. Jane Austen. Emma.
- They were now approaching the cottage, and all idle topics were superseded. Jane Austen. Emma.
- I think from that day, so long as we continued friends, he never in discourse stood on topics of ceremony with me. Charlotte Bronte. Villette.
- They may release the mind for thought upon other topics. John Dewey. Democracy and Education.
Checker: Lorrie