Trivia Time

Which 19th-century literary work was issued in monthly installments by its publisher?

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issue

American  

[ish-oo, is-yoo] / ˈɪʃ u, ˈɪs ju /

noun

• issues
  plural

1. the act of sending out or putting forth; promulgation; distribution.

   the issue of food and blankets to flood victims.

2. something that is printed or published and distributed, especially a given number of a periodical.

   Have you seen the latest issue of the magazine?

   Synonyms:

   printing, edition

3. something that is sent out or put forth in any form.

4. a quantity of something that is officially offered for sale or put into circulation at one time.

   a new issue of commemorative stamps;

   a new bond issue.

5. a point in question or a matter that is in dispute, as between contending parties in an action at law.

   Synonyms:

   crux

6. a point, matter, or dispute, the decision of which is of special or public importance.

   the political issues.

   Synonyms:

   question, problem

7. a point, the decision of which determines a matter.

   The real issue in the strike was the right to bargain collectively.

   Synonyms:

   question, problem, crux

8. a point at which a matter is ready for decision.

   to bring a case to an issue.

9. something proceeding from any source, as a product, effect, result, or consequence.

   His words were the issue of an intelligent man.

10. Often issues

    1. a personal or emotional problem.

       I had issues that prevented me from doing well in school.

    2. any problem or difficulty.

       Sorry I'm late—I had an issue with parking.

11. the ultimate result, event, or outcome of a proceeding, affair, etc..

    the issue of a contest.

    Synonyms:

    end, conclusion, upshot

12. a distribution of food rations, clothing, equipment, or ammunition to a number of officers or enlisted soldiers, or to a military unit.

13. offspring; progeny.

    to die without issue.

14. a going, coming, passing, or flowing out.

    free issue and entry.

15. a place or means of egress; outlet or exit.

16. something that comes out, as an outflowing stream.

17. Pathology.

    1. a discharge of blood, pus, or the like.

    2. an incision, ulcer, or the like, emitting such a discharge.

18. English Law. issues, the profits from land or other property.

19. the printing of copies of a work from the original setting of type with some slight changes.

    the third issue of the poem.

20. Obsolete. a proceeding or action.

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verb (used with object)

• issues,
  present (3rd person singular)
• issued,
  past participle,  past
• issuing
  present participle

1. to put out; deliver for use, sale, etc.; put into circulation.

2. to mint, print, or publish for sale or distribution.

   to issue a new coin;

   to issue a reprint of a book.

3. to give or grant officially to a particular person or group.

   The United States is the first country to issue a patent for an animal developed using biological techniques.

4. to distribute (food, clothing, equipment, etc.) to members of the military, employees, students, etc.

5. to send out; discharge; emit.

verb (used without object)

• issues,
  present (3rd person singular)
• issued,
  past participle,  past
• issuing
  present participle

1. to go, pass, or flow out; come forth; emerge.

   to issue forth to battle.

   Antonyms:

   return

2. to be sent, put forth, or distributed authoritatively or publicly, as a legal writ or money.

3. to be published, as a book.

4. to originate or proceed from any source.

   Synonyms:

   spring, arise, emanate, flow

5. to arise as a result or consequence; result.

   a reaction that issues from the stimulus.

   Synonyms:

   ensue

6. Chiefly Law. to proceed as offspring, or be born or descended.

7. Chiefly Law. to come as a yield or profit, as from land.

8. Archaic. to have the specified outcome, result, etc. (often followed byin ).

9. Obsolete. to end; terminate.

idioms

1. at issue,

   1. being disputed or under discussion.

   2. being at opposite viewpoints; in disagreement.

      Medical experts are still at issue over the proper use of tranquilizers.

2. join issue,

   1. to enter into controversy or take exception to.

   2. to submit an issue jointly for legal decision.

3. take issue, to disagree; dispute.

   He took issue with me on my proposal for a new advertising campaign.

issue British  

/ ˈɪʃuː, ˈɪsjuː /

noun

1. the act of sending or giving out something; supply; delivery

2. something issued; an edition of stamps, a magazine, etc

3. the number of identical items, such as banknotes or shares in a company, that become available at a particular time

4. the act of emerging; outflow; discharge

5. something flowing out, such as a river

6. a place of outflow; outlet

7. the descendants of a person; offspring; progeny

8. a topic of interest or discussion

9. an important subject requiring a decision

10. an outcome or consequence; result

11. pathol

    1. a suppurating sore

    2. discharge from a wound

12. law the matter remaining in dispute between the parties to an action after the pleadings

13. the yield from or profits arising out of land or other property

14. military the allocation of items of government stores, such as food, clothing, and ammunition

15. library science

    1. the system for recording current loans

    2. the number of books loaned in a specified period

16. obsolete an act, deed, or proceeding

17. 1. under discussion

    2. in disagreement

18. to compel decision on some matter

19. 1. to join in controversy

    2. to submit an issue for adjudication

20. to disagree

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verb

1. to come forth or emerge or cause to come forth or emerge

2. to publish or deliver (a newspaper, magazine, etc)

3. (tr) to make known or announce

4. (intr) to originate or proceed

5. (intr) to be a consequence; result

6. to end or terminate

7. (tr)

   1. to give out or allocate (equipment, a certificate, etc) officially to someone

   2. (foll by with) to supply officially (with)

issue More Idioms  

1. see at issue; take issue with.

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Usage

What are other ways to say issue? To issue is to go, pass, or flow out. How is issue different from emanate and emerge? Find out on Thesaurus.com.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• issuer
  noun
• preissue
  noun
• underissue
  noun
• outissue
  verb (used with object)
• issueless
  adjective
• self-issuing
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• issues
  plural

Participles

• issuing
  present
• issued
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• issue
  simple
• issues
  simple
• have issued
  perfect
• has issued
  perfect
• am issuing
  progressive
• are issuing
  progressive
• is issuing
  progressive
• have been issuing
  perfect progressive
• has been issuing
  perfect progressive

Past

• issued
  simple
• had issued
  perfect
• was issuing
  progressive
• were issuing
  progressive
• had been issuing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will issue
  simple
• will have issued
  perfect
• will be issuing
  progressive
• will have been issuing
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of issue

First recorded in 1275–1325; from Middle English, from Middle French: “place or passage out”; from Old French (e)issue, from unattested Vulgar Latin exūta, noun use of feminine of unattested exūtus, Latin exitus “act or means of going out,” for the noun senses; from Middle English issuen, derivative of the noun, or from Middle French, Old French (e)issu, past participle of issir “to go out” (ultimately derived from Latin exīre ) for the verb senses; see exit ¹

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Explanation

One copy of "Celebrities are Cool" magazine is an issue. It is issued, or put out, by the publisher. You and your mother may argue over the issue, or topic, of whether or not you should read it. The original meaning of the word issue was to put something out. If a celebrity issues a statement or the post office issues new stamps, they put them out for the public. Likewise, an issue is a current topic, sometimes controversial, that is being discussed. Politicians often say they want to talk about the issues (and not their personal lives!). You might hear someone say, "He's got issues" about a person who has some problems, usually emotional ones, but this is a very new use for the word.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

issue issues issued issuing

The two Plaid MSs say the issue "should be a question of national policy, not determined piecemeal" by individual local councils "without guidance".

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

None of this addresses another communication issue that has received widespread attention: whether or how the Fed might generate alternative scenarios to illustrate key risks.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

He cautioned that no final decision has been made and that the new provost, David Madigan, will be looking at the issue.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

You have a vast filmography featuring subjects who might have taken issue, or have taken issue, with what was said in your documentaries.

From Salon ● Oct. 16, 2026

From August to December 1942, just after the issue of Stalin’s Order 227, the 588th Night Bomber Aviation Regiment was based in the Caucasus Mountains, for their harassment missions in their open-cockpit Po-2 planes.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein

The only place where these issues don't exist is the Netherlands.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

Fans of “The Good Wife” or “The Good Fight” are familiar with how the Kings turned emerging tech issues — particularly ones involving Google, Amazon or Facebook — into narrative catalysts for cases.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

On Wednesday, New York City Comptroller Mark Levine sent a letter to Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei urging the company to pause its IPO proceedings until it fully addresses safety and governance issues surrounding AI technology.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

Mr. Sununu declined to be interviewed; his spokesman said the campaign “has made a concerted effort to keep the race focused on New Hampshire and state issues and has subsequently declined most national requests.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

Ask your mother what she takes to deal with her rage issues.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

The NWS has issued a heat advisory, saying that the danger of heat-related illness remained high.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

The Los Angeles County Fire Department issued an evacuation order for the Encinal Canyon area of Malibu, with surrounding areas under evacuation warnings.

From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026

The Journal reported Wednesday that more than a dozen subpoenas have been issued, including to some of Omar’s relatives.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

The red flag alert in effect Thursday is one step below the rare “particularly dangerous situation” warning that was issued in advance of the Palisades fire.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

When the evening was far advanced, a sound of music issued from the drawing-room, whither the piano had been removed; Adèle and I sat down on the top step of the stairs to listen.

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë

Hours later, she pulled back a bit, issuing a statement saying she expects to replace him prior to the end of his term, which concludes in late 2029.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

It was one of the pioneers in issuing commercial paper to fund banks’ lending activities, without being a bank itself.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

North Korea has not yet resumed issuing tourism visas to Chinese citizens, who once made up the bulk of its overseas visitors.

From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026

Offended and upset, some fans demanded an apology - but the band's record label, forbade the members from issuing a statement.

From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026

The siskin landed upside down several feet away, and lay on its back in the dust, flopping and kicking spastically while issuing pained chirrupy gurgles.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols

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Related Words

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