Adduce, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Adduced; p. pr. & vb. n. Adducing.]
Etymology: [L. adducere, adductum, to lead or bring to; ad + ducere to lead. See Duke, and cf. Adduct.]
To bring forward or offer, as an argument, passage, or consideration which bears on a statement or case; to cite; to allege. Reasons . . . were adduced on both sides. Macaulay. Enough could not be adduced to satisfy the purpose of illustration. De Quincey.
Syn. -- To present; allege; advance; cite; quote; assign; urge; name; mention.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for adduce; he lists it under allege.
Where he writes about it:
To adduce, literally to lead to, is to bring the evidence up to what has been alleged. — from allege
Adduce is a secondary word; nothing can be adduced in evidence till something has been stated or alleged, which the evidence is to sustain. — from allege
Adduce is not used of persons; of them we say introduce or produce. — from allege
When an alleged criminal is brought to trial, the counsel on either side are accustomed to advance a theory, and adduce the strongest possible evidence in its support; they will produce documents and witnesses, cite precedents, assign reasons, introduce suggestions, offer pleas. — from allege