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Discuss vs Address - What's the difference?

discuss | address |

In lang=en terms the difference between discuss and address

is that discuss is to converse or debate concerning a particular topic while address is to address oneself to; to prepare oneself for; to apply oneself to; to direct one's speech or discourse to.

In obsolete|lang=en terms the difference between discuss and address

is that discuss is (obsolete) to communicate, tell, or disclose (information, a message, etc) while address is (obsolete) to prepare or make ready.

As verbs the difference between discuss and address

is that discuss is (obsolete|transitive) to drive away, disperse, shake off; said especially of tumors while address is (obsolete) to prepare oneself.

As a noun address is

direction or superscription of a letter, or the name, title, and place of residence of the person addressed.

discuss

Verb

  • (obsolete) To drive away, disperse, shake off; said especially of tumors.
  • * 1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , III.i:
  • For she was giuen all to fleshly lust, / And poured forth in sensuall delight, / That all regard of shame she had discust , / And meet respect of honour put to flight
  • * Rambler
  • a pomade of virtue to discuss pimples
  • * Sir H. Wotton
  • Many arts were used to discuss the beginnings of new affection.
  • To converse or debate concerning a particular topic.
  • Let's sit down and discuss this rationally.
    I don't wish to discuss this further. Let's talk about something else.
  • (obsolete) To communicate, tell, or disclose (information, a message, etc.).
  • * , Merry Wives of Windsor , act 1, sc. 3:
  • Nym : I will discuss the humour of this love to Page.
  • * , Henry V , act 4, sc. 1:
  • Pistol : Discuss unto me; art thou officer? Or art thou base, common and popular?
  • To break to pieces; to shatter.
  • To deal with, in eating or drinking.
  • * Sir S. Baker
  • We sat quietly down and discussed a cold fowl that we had brought with us.
  • To examine or search thoroughly; to exhaust a remedy against, as against a principal debtor before proceeding against the surety.
  • Synonyms

    * (converse about a topic) betalk, debate, talk about

    Derived terms

    * discussant * discusser * discussion * discuss to death * discuss Uganda

    See also

    * argue

    address

    Noun

    (es)
  • Direction or superscription of a letter, or the name, title, and place of residence of the person addressed.
  • Act of addressing oneself to a person; a discourse or speech.
  • * 1887 , Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, A Study in Scarlet , VII:
  • Mr. Gregson, who had listened to this address with considerable impatience, could contain himself no longer.
  • Manner of speaking to another; delivery.
  • Attention in the way one addresses a lady.
  • Skill; skillful management; dexterity; adroitness.
  • * 1813 , "Customs, Manners, and present Appearance of Constantinople", The New Annual Register, or General Repository of History, Politics, and Literature for the year 1812 , p. 179 (Google preview):
  • At their turning-lathes, they employ their toes to guide the chisel; and, in these pedipulations, shew to Europeans a diverting degree of address .
  • (obsolete) Act of preparing oneself.
  • A description of the location of a property.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-14, author=(Jonathan Freedland)
  • , volume=189, issue=1, page=18, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Obama's once hip brand is now tainted , passage=Where we once sent love letters in a sealed envelope, or stuck photographs of our children in a family album, now such private material is despatched to servers and clouds operated by people we don't know and will never meet. Perhaps we assume that our name, address and search preferences will be viewed by some unseen pair of corporate eyes, probably not human, and don't mind that much.}}
  • (by extension) The property itself.
  • (computing) A location in computer memory.
  • (Internet) An Internet address; URL.
  • Derived terms

    * subaddress, subaddressing

    Synonyms

    * adroitness * discourse * harangue * ingenuity * lecture * oration * petition * readiness * speech * tact

    Verb

  • (obsolete) To prepare oneself.
  • * (rfdate), (William Shakespeare)
  • Let us address to tend on Hector's heels.
  • (obsolete) To speech.
  • * (rfdate), (John Dryden)
  • Young Turnus to the beauteous maid addrest .
  • (obsolete) To aim; to .
  • * (rfdate), (Edmund Spenser)
  • And this good knight his way with me addrest .
  • (obsolete) To prepare or make ready.
  • * (rfdate), (Edmund Spenser)
  • His foe was soon addressed .
  • * (rfdate), (John Dryden)
  • Turnus addressed his men to single fight.
  • * (rfdate), (Jeremy Taylor)
  • The five foolish virgins addressed themselves at the noise of the bridegroom's coming.
  • (reflexive) To prepare oneself; to apply one's skill or energies (to some object); to betake.
  • * (rfdate) (Thomas Babington Macaulay)
  • These men addressed themselves to the task.
  • * 1851 , (Herman Melville), (Moby Dick) ,
  • [...] good heavens! dumplings for supper! One young fellow in a green box coat, addressed himself to these dumplings in a most direful manner.
  • (archaic) To clothe or array; to dress.
  • * (rfdate) Jewel
  • Tecla ... addressed herself in man's apparel.
  • To direct, as words (to any one or any thing); to make, as a speech, petition, etc. (to any one, an audience).
  • * (rfdate) (John Dryden)
  • ''The young hero had addressed his players to him for his assistance.
  • To direct speech to; to make a communication to, whether spoken or written; to apply to by words, as by a speech, petition, etc., to speak to; to accost.
  • * (rfdate) (Joseph Addison)
  • Are not your orders to address the senate?
  • * (rfdate) (Jonathan Swift)
  • The representatives of the nation addressed the king.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-19, author=(Peter Wilby)
  • , volume=189, issue=6, page=30, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Finland spreads word on schools , passage=Imagine a country where children do nothing but play until they start compulsory schooling at age seven. Then, without exception, they attend comprehensives until the age of 16.
  • To direct in writing, as a letter; to superscribe, or to direct and transmit.
  • To make suit to as a lover; to court; to woo.
  • To consign or intrust to the care of another, as agent or factor.
  • To address oneself to; to prepare oneself for; to apply oneself to; to direct one's speech or discourse to.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2012-03
  • , author=Lee A. Groat, volume=100, issue=2, page=128, magazine=(American Scientist) , title= Gemstones , passage=Although there are dozens of different types of gems, among the best known and most important are […] . (Common gem materials not addressed in this article include amber, amethyst, chalcedony, garnet, lazurite, malachite, opals, peridot, rhodonite, spinel, tourmaline, turquoise and zircon.)}}
  • (formal) To direct attention towards a problem or obstacle, in an attempt to resolve it.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2012, date=April 19, author=Josh Halliday, work=The Guardian
  • , title= Free speech haven or lawless cesspool – can the internet be civilised? , passage="By all means we want people to use social media, but we do not want you to use it in ways that will incite violence," said Jonathan Toy, Southwark council's head of community safety. "This remains a big issue for us and without some form of censorship purely focusing on [violent videos], I'm not sure how we can address it."}}
  • (computing) To refer a location in computer memory.
  • (golf) To get ready to hit the ball on the tee.
  • Usage notes

    * The intransitive uses can be understood as omission of the reflexive pronoun.