adverse, contrary
(adjective) in an opposing direction; âadverse currentsâ; âa contrary windâ
contrary, obstinate, perverse, wayward
(adjective) resistant to guidance or discipline; âMary Mary quite contraryâ; âan obstinate child with a violent temperâ; âa perverse moodâ; âwayward behaviorâ
contrary
(adjective) very opposed in nature or character or purpose; âacts contrary to our code of ethicsâ; âthe facts point to a contrary conclusionâ
contrary
(adjective) of words or propositions so related that both cannot be true but both may be false; ââhotâ and âcoldâ are contrary termsâ
contrary
(noun) a logical relation such that two propositions are contraries if both cannot be true but both can be false
contrary
(noun) exact opposition; âpublic opinion to the contrary he is not guiltyâ
reverse, contrary, opposite
(noun) a relation of direct opposition; âwe thought Sue was older than Bill but just the reverse was trueâ
Source: WordNet® 3.1
contrary (comparative more contrary, superlative most contrary)
Opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse.
Opposed; contradictory; inconsistent.
Given to opposition; perverse; wayward.
contrary (comparative more contrary, superlative most contrary)
Contrarily
contrary (plural contraries)
The opposite.
(logic) One of a pair of propositions that cannot both be simultaneously true, , though they may both be false.
• witherward
contrary (third-person singular simple present contraries, present participle contrarying, simple past and past participle contraried)
(obsolete) To oppose; to frustrate.
(obsolete) To impugn.
(obsolete) To contradict (someone or something).
(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.
Source: Wiktionary
Con"tra*ry ( or ; 48), a. Etym: [OE. contrarie, contraire, F. contraire, fr. L. contrarius, fr. contra. See Contra-.]
1. Opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse; as, contrary winds. And 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. Shak.
2. Opposed; contradictory; repugnant; inconsistent. Fame, if not double-faced, is double mouthed, 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 child.
4. (Logic)
Definition: Affirming the opposite; so opposed as to destroy each other; as, contrary propositions. Contrary motion (Mus.), the progression of parts in opposite directions, one ascending, the other descending.
Syn.
– Adverse; repugnant; hostile; inimical; discordant; inconsistent.
Con"tra*ry, n.; pl. Contraries (.
1. A thing that is of contrary or opposite qualities. No contraries hold more antipathy Than I and such a knave. Shak.
2. An opponent; an enemy. [Obs.] Chaucer.
3. the opposite; a proposition, fact, or condition incompatible with another; as, slender proofs which rather show the contrary. See Converse, n., 1. Locke.
4. (Logic)
Definition: 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, v. t. Etym: [F. contrarier. See Contrary, a.]
Definition: To contradict or oppose; to thwart. [Obs.] I was advised not to contrary the king. Bp. Latimer.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
3 July 2025
(noun) the faculty through which the external world is apprehended; âin the dark he had to depend on touch and on his senses of smell and hearingâ
The word âcoffeeâ entered the English language in 1582 via the Dutch âkoffie,â borrowed from the Ottoman Turkish âkahve,â borrowed in turn from the Arabic âqahwah.â The Arabic word qahwah was traditionally held to refer to a type of wine.
