https://medium.com/@whiskymoods/judge-soggy-sweats-whiskey-speech-a-classic-example-of-doublespeak-in-politics-in-this-case-aff5eafe449f

I found your anecdote to be a brilliant demonstration of the problem you have with the word "argue" -- the juxtaposition between those two interpretations of "whiskey."

I guess I don't take the word "argue" to the absolute literal all of the time; I look at context. I believe it's entirely possible to refer to the word "argue" in a non-contentious manner.