(v): argue or speak in defense of
(v): weed out unwanted or unnecessary things
(v): terminate, end, or take out
(v): structure and run according to rational or scientific principles in order to achieve desired results
(v): cause to be structured or ordered or operating according to some principle or idea
(v): think rationally; employ logic or reason
(v): use or exercise the mind or one's power of reason in order to make inferences, decisions, or arrive at a solution or judgments
(v): remove irrational quantities from
(v): cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
Tom's men were starving. The last battle had decimated his platoon's numbers and cut off all outside communication. Their rations had run out over a week ago. The only food they had been able to secure since then came from trapping and slaughtering birds from island's quickly dwindling owl population. The meat was sinewy and rancid, but they were so hungry that they ate every muscle and every organ--except for the eyeballs. Even starving men have their limits, it seemed to Tom. But he kept the eyes, preserving them as he could, in case it came to that. And now, the time had come. There were no more owls. His men were on the verge of death. He had to come up with a plan to stretch his gelatinous cache as far as possible.
"I'll give each man two eyeballs a day," said Tom, trying to rationalize the situation.