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de‧bate1 S1 W2
1 [uncountable and countable] discussion of a particular subject that often continues for a long time and in which people express different opinions COLLOCATIONS COLLOCATIONS
heated/fierce/intense debate (=one in which people express strong and very different opinions) widespread debate lively debate public debate a debate rages (=it happens over a period of time and people have strong feelings about it) long-running debate ongoing debate (=continuing debate) provoke/trigger/spark off a debate (=cause a debate) the gun-control debate in the US
COLLOCATIONS heated/fierce/intense debate (=one in which people express strong and very different opinions) widespread debate lively debate public debate a debate rages (=it happens over a period of time and people have strong feelings about it) long-running debate ongoing debate (=continuing debate) provoke/trigger/spark off a debate (=cause a debate)
the gun-control debate in the US debate between the ongoing debate between environmentalists and the road-building lobby over the future of our countryside
the ongoing debate between environmentalists and the road-building lobby over the future of our countryside2 [uncountable and countable] a formal discussion of a particular problem, subject etc in which people express different opinions, and sometimes vote on them
3 if an idea is open to debate, no one has proved yet whether it is true or false [= debatable]: Whether that would have made any difference is open to debate.
be open to debate
also be a matter for debateWhether that would have made any difference is open to debate.