Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Contrary
Con′tra-ry
(? or ?; 48)
, Adj.
1.
Opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse;
as,
. contrary
windsAnd if ye walk
contrary
unto me, and will not hearken unto me. Lev. xxvi. 21.
We have lost our labor; they are gone a
contrary
way. Shakespeare
2.
Opposed; contradictory; repugnant; inconsistent.
Fame, if not double-faced, is double mouthed,
And with
And with
contrary
blast proclaims most deeds. Milton.
The doctrine of the earth’s motion appeared to be
contrary
to the sacred Scripture. Whewell.
3.
Given to opposition; perverse; forward; wayward;
as, a
. contrary
disposition; a contrary
child4.
(Logic)
Affirming the opposite; so opposed as to destroy each other;
as,
. contrary
propositions
Syn. – Adverse; repugnant; hostile; inimical; discordant; inconsistent.
Con′tra-ry
,Noun.
pl.
Contraries
. 1.
A thing that is of contrary or opposite qualities.
No
Than I and such a knave.
contraries
hold more antipathyThan I and such a knave.
Shakespeare
2.
An opponent; an enemy.
[Obs.]
Chaucer.
3.
the opposite; a proposition, fact, or condition incompatible with another; , 1.
as, slender proofs which rather show the
. See contrary
Converse
, Noun.
Locke.
4.
(Logic)
See
Contraries
. On the contrary
, in opposition; on the other hand.
Swift.
– To the contrary
, to an opposite purpose or intent; on the other side.
“They did it, not for want of instruction to the contrary.” Bp. Stillingfleet.
Con′tra-ry
,Verb.
T.
To contradict or oppose; to thwart.
[Obs.]
I was advised not to
contrary
the king. Bp. Latimer.
Webster 1828 Edition
Contrary
CONTRARY
,Adj.
1.
Opposite; adverse; moving against or in an opposite direction; as contrary winds.2.
Opposite; contradictory; not merely different, but inconsistent or repugnant.The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary, the one to the other. Galatians 5.
This adjective, in many phrases, is to be treated grammatically as an adverb, or as an adjective referring to a sentence or affirmation; as, this happened contrary to my expectations. The word here really belongs to the affirmation or fact declared, this happened; for contrary does not, like an adverb, express the manner of happening, but that the fact itself was contrary to my expectation. According, agreeable, pursuant, antecedent, prior, anterior, &c., are often used in the like manner.
CONTRARY
,Noun.
1.
A thing that is contrary or of opposite qualities.No contraries hold more antipathy, than I and such a knave.
2.
A proposition contrary to another, or a fact contrary to what is alledged; as, this is stated to be a fact, but I will endeavor to show the contrary.On the contrary, in opposition; on the other side.
To the contrary, to an opposite purpose, or fact.
They did it, not for want of instruction to the contrary.
He said it was just, but I told him to the contrary.
CONTRARY
,Verb.
T.
Definition 2024
contrary
contrary
English
Adjective
contrary (comparative more contrary, superlative most contrary)
- Opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse.
- contrary winds
- Bible, Leviticus xxvi. 21
- And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me […]
- Shakespeare
- We have lost our labour; they are gone a contrary way.
- Opposed; contradictory; inconsistent.
- What may be "politically correct" could be contrary to the teachings of Jesus.
- Whewell
- The doctrine of the earth's motion appeared to be contrary to the sacred Scripture.
- Given to opposition; perverse; wayward.
- a contrary disposition; a contrary child
Derived terms
Derived terms
Translations
opposed in nature
|
Adverb
contrary (comparative more contrary, superlative most contrary)
Noun
contrary (plural contraries)
- The opposite.
- Shakespeare
- No contraries hold more antipathy / Than I and such a knave.
- Shakespeare
- One of a pair of propositions that cannot both be simultaneously true.
- I. Watts
- If two universals differ in quality, they are contraries; as, every vine is a tree; no vine is a tree. These can never be both true together; but they may be both false.
- I. Watts
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations
the opposite
|
Verb
contrary (third-person singular simple present contraries, present participle contrarying, simple past and past participle contraried)
- (obsolete) To oppose; to frustrate.
- Bishop Latimer
- I was advised not to contrary the king.
- 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essayes, London: Edward Blount, OCLC 946730821, I.47:
- The Athenians having left the enemie in their owne land, for to pass into Sicilie, had very ill successe, and were much contraried by fortune […].
- Bishop Latimer
- (obsolete) To impugn.
- (obsolete) To contradict (someone or something).
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, chapter lxxvij, in Le Morte Darthur, book X:
- thus wilfully sir Palomydes dyd bataille with yow / & as for hym sir I was not gretely aferd but I dred fore laūcelot that knew yow not / Madame said Palomydes ye maye saye what so ye wyll / I maye not contrary yow but by my knyghthode I knewe not sir Tristram
- 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essayes, London: Edward Blount, OCLC 946730821, II.12:
- I finde them everie one in his turne to have reason, although they contrary one another.
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, chapter lxxvij, in Le Morte Darthur, book X:
- (obsolete) To do the opposite of (someone or something).
- (obsolete) To act inconsistently or perversely; to act in opposition to.
- (obsolete) To argue; to debate; to uphold an opposite opinion.
- (obsolete) To be self-contradictory; to become reversed.
Translations
frustrating
|
Related terms
References
- contrary in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- contrary in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
- contrary at OneLook Dictionary Search
- J[ohn] A. Simpson and E[dward] S. C. Weiner, editors (1989) The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Clarendon Press, ISBN 978-0-19-861186-8.