You searched for: “arbitrate”
arbitrate (verb), arbitrates; arbitrated; arbitrating
To settle a disagreement or an argument between two or more people or groups after hearing the opinions and ideas of both: Kate will arbitrate the dispute between her son and daughter as to which one will get to eat the last piece of cake.

An official was assigned to arbitrate which runner crossed the finish line first.

2. Etymology: from Latin arbitrat-, "judged"; from arbitrari, "to judge" from arbiter, "judge, supreme ruler".
This entry is located in the following unit: arbitr-, arbit- (page 1)
arbitrate, mediate
arbitrate (AR bi trayt") (verb)
1. To decide or to sit in judgment after listening to both sides: The United Nations will try to arbitrate the dispute between the nations.
2. To settle an argument or a disagreement in which the people or groups on both sides present their opinions and ideas to a third person or group for settlement: The teachers' union agreed to arbitrate its pay differences with the school board.
mediate (MEE dee ayt") (verb)
To bring about an agreement: The lawyer tried to mediate between the car company and the auto union.

To mediate a dispute is to try to find a middle ground or compromise on which both sides may agree.

At first Rex thought there would be a need to arbitrate an end to the disagreement; however, once all of the parties sat down together, they realized that it was possible to mediate an agreement without difficulties.

This entry is located in the following unit: Confusing Words Clarified: Group A; Homonyms, Homophones, Homographs, Synonyms, Polysemes, etc. (page 7)