wrong

—wronger, n. —wrongly, adv. —wrongness, n.

/rawng, rong/, adj.

1. not in accordance with what is morally right or good: a wrong deed.

2. deviating from truth or fact; erroneous: a wrong answer.

3. not correct in action, judgment, opinion, method, etc., as a person; in error: You are wrong to blame him.

4. not proper or usual; not in accordance with requirements or recommended practice: the wrong way to hold a golf club.

5. out of order; awry; amiss: Something is wrong with the machine.

6. not suitable or appropriate: He always says the wrong thing.

7. (of clothing) that should be worn or kept inward or under: You're wearing the sweater wrong side out.

n.

8. that which is wrong, or not in accordance with morality, goodness, or truth; evil: I committed many wrongs.

9. an injustice: The wrongs they suffered aged them.

10. Law.

a. an invasion of another's right, to his damage.

b. a tort.

11. get in wrong, Slang. to cause to come into disfavor: We are forever getting in wrong with the people next door.

12. in the wrong, to blame; in error: He knew he was in the wrong but refused to concede the point.

adv.

13. in a wrong manner; not rightly; awry; amiss: You did it wrong again.

14. go wrong,

a. to go amiss; fail: Everything is going wrong today.

b. to pursue an immoral course; become depraved: Bad friends caused him to go wrong.

v.t.

15. to do wrong to; treat unfairly or unjustly; harm.

16. to impute evil to (someone) unjustly; malign.

[bef. 1100; (adj.) ME wrong, wrang, OE wrang, perh. < ODan wrang; cf. Dan vrang wrong, ON rangr awry; (v. and adv.) ME, deriv. of the adj.; (n.) ME; OE wrang, deriv. of the adj.; akin to WRING]

Syn. 1. bad, evil, wicked, sinful, immoral, iniquitous, reprehensible, crooked. 2. inaccurate, incorrect, false, untrue, mistaken. 6. improper, unsuitable. 8. misdoing, wickedness, sin, vice. 15. maltreat, abuse, oppress, cheat, defraud, dishonor.

* * *