Winning by conquest what the first man lost, By
fallacy surprised. --Milton.
2. (Logic) An argument, or apparent argument, which professes
to be decisive of the matter at issue, while in reality it
is not; a sophism.
Syn: Deception; deceit; mistake.
Usage: {Fallacy}, {Sophistry}. A fallacy is an argument which
professes to be decisive, but in reality is not;
sophistry is also false reasoning, but of so specious
and subtle a kind as to render it difficult to expose
its fallacy. Many fallacies are obvious, but the evil
of sophistry lies in its consummate art. ``Men are apt
to suffer their minds to be misled by fallacies which
gratify their passions. Many persons have obscured and
confounded the nature of things by their wretched
sophistry; though an act be never so sinful, they will
strip it of its guilt.'' --South.