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DictionaryRoot: boter
Old French

boter

to strike, push

2 / 2
At a simple discussion table, a young man counters a young woman's claim by pointing out contradictory evidence in two photographs of the same damaged bicycle wheel, while she listens and examines the evidence.
verb

rebut

rih-BUT/rɪˈbʌt/

Counter a claim or argument with evidence or reasoning.

Etymology
reOld Frenchback or again
+butOld Frenchto strike, push

The original image is pushing or thrusting back, once used of repelling an attack. In argument, the thing pushed back is a claim, countered with evidence or reasoning.

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