"Winning an argument means you have found or are closer to a particular truth" - no, it means that you convinced others that you are closer to a particular trut

"Winning an argument means you have found or are closer to a particular truth" - no, it means that you convinced others that you are closer to a particular truth. Definition of win from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/win http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/win transitive verb 1 a: to get possession of by effort or fortune b: to obtain by work : earn <striving to win a living from the sterile soil> 2 a: to gain in or as if in battle or contest <won the championship> b: to be the victor in <won the war> 3 a: to make friendly or favorable to oneself or to one's cause —often used with over<won him over with persuasive arguments> b: to induce to accept oneself in marriage <was unable to win the woman he loved> 4 a: to obtain (as ore, coal, or clay) by mining b: to prepare (as a vein or bed) for regular mining c: to recover (as metal) from ore 5: to reach by expenditure of effort For me the only matching definition is 2a - the argument is the contest and what you gain is the recognition that you were right.