a contention by words or arguments.

Our
polite chat about politics became a
heated debate. The case sparked a
raging public debate on property rights
such as;
a law, government :the formal discussion
of a motion before a deliberative body
according to the rules of parliamentary
procedure.
b :a regulated discussion of a proposition
between two matched sides.
Opening statements are critical to
a successful debate, because they
allow both sides -- those in favor
of a position and those who
oppose it -- to grab the audience's
attention.
Once both sides clearly identify
and explain their points, each side
has the opportunity to express
why it believes the other's
arguments are weak or invalid.
Some debates have a question-and-answer
session, in which each side asks its opponent
questions. The purpose of cross-examination
is to clarify your opponents' arguments, force
them to commit to a specific position on
vague issues, bring up any fallacies or errors
with their arguments and discuss
shortcomings with their evidence.
Closing statements help each side
summarize its main arguments and stress
its most critical points. They also allow you
to remind the judges of your opponent's
shortcomings.