*reason with*

Posted by Smokey Stover on May 16, 2004

In Reply to: *reason with* posted by Jane J on May 16, 2004

: I'd like to know the origin of the phrasal verb *reason with*=argue in order to convince or persuade .
:

Why do you think "reason with" is a phrasal verb? It's just a verb, used intransitively in this case, along with a preposition used the way prepositions are normally used. The verb "reason" (as well as the noun) presumably entered England with William the Conqueror, as it originates with the similar French word. It's first printed appearance, as per the OED Online, was in a Caxton book of the 15th century. The MWOD gives pretty much the same definition that you do for the verb in the "intransitive sense." For the transitive sense it gives only one example, using the past participle, reasoned. And that's the only way I've heard the verb used transitively. SS