diff --git a/argparser.js b/argparser.js
index 900f309..cab68c7 100644
--- a/argparser.js
+++ b/argparser.js
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-module.exports = parse;
-
 // https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/364383/confusion-about-changing-meaning-of-arguments-and-options-is-there-an-official
 // https://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799.2018edition/basedefs/V1_chap12.html#tag_12_01
 
@@ -11,11 +9,89 @@ module.exports = parse;
 // 'operands' are (non-option) things that follow an option, but aren't option-arguments
 //    eg 'filename.txt' in './example --verbose filename.txt'
 
+const defaultErrorMessages = {
+  missingRequiredOption: (optionName) => `Missing required option '${optionName}'`,
+  missingRequiredArgument: (optionName) => `Missing argument for option ${optionName}`,
+  tooManyArguments: (optionName) => `Too many arguments for option ${optionName}`,
+}
+
+
+module.exports = class Opts {
+  constructor(argv) {
+    this.opts = get(argv);
+    this.synonyms = [];
+  }
+
+  // TODO equip prototype with ability to print directly through `console.log(opts)`
+
+  /**
+   * Declare multiple option flags to be synonymous.
+   * Use this if you have short and long names for the same flag
+   * eg: '-d' and '--debug'
+   * 
+   * @param {Array<string>} namesWithDashes
+   * @returns {void}
+   **/
+  synonymize(...namesWithDashes) {
+    const names = namesWithDashes.map(n => stripDashes(n));
+    names.forEach((n) => {
+      const others = names.filter(x => x != n)
+      this.synonyms[n] = others;
+    });
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Verify the presence of a required option
+   * @param {string} nameWithDashes
+   * @param {string} [errorMessage]
+   * @returns {Boolean} **True** indicates that the option is present
+   **/
+  requireOption(nameWithDashes, errorMessage=null) {
+    const name = stripDashes(nameWithDashes);
+    console.log('req opt name:', name);
+    if (name in this.opts) return true;
+    if (name in this.synonyms) {
+      let syns = this.synonyms[name];
+      console.log('syns', syns);
+      let hits = syns.filter(s => s in this.opts ).length;
+      if (hits > 0) {
+        return true;
+      }
+    }
+    throw new Error(errorMessage || defaultErrorMessages.missingRequiredOption(nameWithDashes));
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Verify the presence of arguments for an option that requires them,
+   * if that option is present
+   * @param {string} nameWithDashes
+   * @param {number} [minRequired]
+   * @param {number} [maxRequired]
+   * @param {string} [tooFewMessage] Error message if there are too few arguments provided
+   * @param {string} [tooManyMessage] Error message if there are too many arguments provided
+   * @returns {Boolean} **True** indicates that the arguments are present, or that the option is *not* present
+   **/
+  requireOptionArgument(nameWithDashes, minRequired=1, maxRequired=1, tooFewMessage=null, tooManyMessage=null) {
+    let name = stripDashes(nameWithDashes);
+    if (name in this.opts) {
+      console.log('type', typeof this.opts[name] === 'boolean');
+      console.log(this.opts[name]);
+      if (typeof this.opts[name] === 'boolean') {
+        throw new Error(tooFewMessage || defaultErrorMessages.missingRequiredArgument(nameWithDashes));
+      } else if (this.opts[name].length < minRequired) {
+        throw new Error(tooFewMessage || defaultErrorMessages.missingRequiredArgument(nameWithDashes));
+      } else if (this.opts[name].length > maxRequired) {
+        throw new Error(tooManyMessage || defaultErrorMessages.tooManyArguments(nameWithDashes));
+      }
+    }
+    return true;
+  }
+}
 
 /**
  * @returns [ string: (boolean | string[]) ]
  **/
-function parse(argv) {
+function get(argv) {
   argv = process.argv.slice(2);
 
   // Label everything in argv as either
@@ -78,4 +154,10 @@ function parse(argv) {
     }
   });
   return out;
+}
+
+function stripDashes(optionName) {
+  if (optionName.startsWith('--')) return optionName.substring(2);
+  if (optionName.startsWith('-')) return optionName.substring(1);
+  return optionName;
 }
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diff --git a/test.js b/test.js
index 4dfccd9..0aa7e38 100644
--- a/test.js
+++ b/test.js
@@ -1,3 +1,78 @@
-const args = require('./argparser.js')(process.argv);
+const Opter = require('./argparser.js');
 
-console.log(args);
\ No newline at end of file
+// const args = argparser.parse(process.argv);
+// console.log('args', args);
+// console.log('args', args);
+// requireOption(args, '--i');
+// argsrequire(args, '-i');
+
+const opts = new Opter(process.argv)
+opts.synonymize('-i', '--input');
+opts.requireOption('-i');
+opts.requireOptionArgument('-i');
+console.log(opts.opts);
+
+// const _defaultErrorMessages = {
+//   missingRequiredOption: (optionName) => `Missing required option '${optionName}'`,
+//   missingRequiredArgument: (optionName) => `Missing argument for option ${optionName}`,
+//   tooManyArguments: (optionName) => `Too many arguments for option ${optionName}`,
+// }
+// 
+// /**
+//  * Declare multiple option flags to be synonymous.
+//  * Use this if you have short and long names for the same flag
+//  * eg: '-d' and '--debug'
+//  * 
+//  * @param {Array<string>} namesWithDashes
+//  * @returns {void}
+//  **/
+// function synonymize(opts /* <-- TODO tmp */, ...namesWithDashes) {
+//   namesWithDashes.slice(1).forEach((n) => {
+//     const x = _stripDashes(n);
+//     this.opts[x] = opts[namesWithDashes[0]]; // TODO check 'this' works
+//   });
+// }
+// 
+// function _stripDashes(optionName) {
+//   if (optionName.startsWith('--')) return optionName.substring(2);
+//   if (optionName.startsWith('-')) return optionName.substring(1);
+//   return optionName;
+// }
+// 
+// /**
+//  * Verify the presence of a required option
+//  * @param {string} nameWithDashes
+//  * @param {string} [errorMessage]
+//  * @returns {Boolean} **True** indicates that the option is present
+//  **/
+// function requireOption(userProvidedOpts, nameWithDashes, errorMessage=null) {
+//   if (_stripDashes(nameWithDashes) in userProvidedOpts) return true;
+//   throw new Error(errorMessage || _defaultErrorMessages.missingRequiredOption(nameWithDashes));
+// }
+// 
+// /**
+//  * Verify the presence of arguments for an option that requires them,
+//  * if that option is present
+//  * @param {string} nameWithDashes
+//  * @param {number} [minRequired]
+//  * @param {number} [maxRequired]
+//  * @param {string} [tooFewMessage] Error message if there are too few arguments provided
+//  * @param {string} [tooManyMessage] Error message if there are too many arguments provided
+//  * @returns {Boolean} **True** indicates that the arguments are present, or that the option is *not* present
+//  **/
+//  // TODO remove first param when making this a method on an Args object
+// function argsrequire(userProvidedArgs, nameWithDashes, minRequired=1, maxRequired=1, tooFewMessage=null, tooManyMessage=null) {
+//   let name = _stripDashes(nameWithDashes);
+//   if (name in userProvidedArgs) {
+//     console.log('type', typeof userProvidedArgs[name] === 'boolean');
+//     console.log(userProvidedArgs[name]);
+//     if (typeof userProvidedArgs[name] === 'boolean') {
+//       throw new Error(tooFewMessage || _defaultErrorMessages.missingRequiredArgument(nameWithDashes));
+//     } else if (userProvidedArgs[name].length < minRequired) {
+//       throw new Error(tooFewMessage || _defaultErrorMessages.missingRequiredArgument(nameWithDashes));
+//     } else if (userProvidedArgs[name].length > maxRequired) {
+//       throw new Error(tooManyMessage || _defaultErrorMessages.tooManyArguments(nameWithDashes));
+//     }
+//   }
+//   return true;
+// }
\ No newline at end of file