1. (n.) An essay or dissertation written upon specific or definite theme\; especially, an essay presented by a candidate for a diploma or degree.

2. (n.) A position or proposition which a person advances and offers to maintain, or which is actually maintained by argument.

3. (n.) An affirmation, or distinction from a supposition or hypothesis.

4. (n.) The accented part of the measure, expressed by the downward beat; -- the opposite of arsis.

5. (n.) The depression of the voice in pronouncing the syllables of a word.

6. (n.) The part of the foot upon which such a depression falls.

Alexandrine a priori principle accent accentuation affirmation amphibrach amphimacer anacrusis anapest antispast apriorism argument argumentation arsis article assertion assumed position assumption axiom bacchius basis beat belief bout cadence caesura catalexis categorical proposition causerie chloriamb chloriambus circle circuit colon conjecture contention contestation counterpoint course cretic cycle dactyl dactylic hexameter data descant diaeresis diastole dimeter dipody discourse discussion disquisition dissertation dochmiac downbeat elegiac elegiac couplet elegiac pentameter emphasis epitrite essay etude examination excursus exposition feature feminine caesura first approach first principles foot foundation grammatical accent ground guesswork heptameter heptapody heroic couplet hexameter hexapody homily hypothesis hypothesis ad hoc iamb iambic iambic pentameter ictus idea inference intonation intonation pattern introductory study ionic jingle lemma lilt lucubration major premise masculine caesura measure memoir meter metrical accent metrical foot metrical group metrical unit metron minor premise molossus monograph mora morceau movement note notion numbers opinion outline paeon pandect paper paragraph pentameter pentapody period philosopheme philosophical proposition piece pitch accent point posit position postulate postulation postulatum precept preliminary study premise premiss presumption presupposal presupposition proceleusmatic prolegomenon proposition propositional function pulse pyrrhic quantity research paper revolution rhetorical accent rhythm rhythmical accent rotation round screed sentiments series set of postulates sketch special article spell spondee sprung rhythm statement stress stress accent stress arsis study sumption supposal supposing supposition surmise survey swing systole syzygy term paper tetrameter tetrapody tetraseme theme theorem theory tone accent tract tractate treatise treatment tribrach trimeter tripody triseme trochee truth table truth-function truth-value turn upbeat view views wheel working hypothesis