E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Dispu’te (2 syl.)
means, literally, to “lop down” (Latin, dis-puto); debate means to “knock down” (French, débattre); discuss means to “shake down” (Latin, dis-quatio); object’ is to “cast against” (Latin, ob-jacio); contend is to “pull against” (Latin, contendo); quarrel is to throw darts at each other (Welsh, cwarel, a dart); and wrangle is to strain by twisting (Swedish, vränga; Anglo-Saxon, wringan).
