Aduce

Aduce is a rarely used variant spelling of the verb adduce, which means to bring forward or cite something such as evidence, arguments, or reasons in support of a claim. In contemporary English, adduce is the standard spelling, and aduce appears mainly in older texts or as a historical variant.

Etymology traces the word to Latin adducere, meaning “to lead to” or “to bring forward.” The form adduce developed through Old French and other intermediaries into English, where it acquired its current meaning in formal or legal and academic contexts.

Usage and forms: adduce is a transitive verb. It is commonly used with nouns like evidence, witnesses, or arguments, in phrases such as adduce evidence or adduce testimony. The typical conjugations are: I adduce, you adduce, he adduces, they adduce; the past tense is adduced; the present participle is adducing (or adducing). The variant aduce is encountered chiefly in older texts or in discussions of historical usage; it is not preferred in modern standard English.

Related terms include adduction, the act of bringing something forward or leading it to a conclusion, and adducent, an archaic or rare adjective relating to bringing forward. In legal and philosophical writing, adduce is a formal term that emphasizes the act of presenting supporting material rather than merely mentioning it.

Overall, adduce denotes the deliberate presentation of supporting material in argumentation, with adduce as the modern, preferred spelling and aduce surviving mainly as a historical variant.