- contrary
-
adj.1. opposite in nature or character; diametrically or mutually opposed: contrary to fact; contrary propositions.2. opposite in direction or position: departures in contrary directions.3. being the opposite one of two: I will make the contrary choice.4. unfavorable or adverse.5. perverse; stubbornly opposed or willful.n.6. something that is contrary or opposite: to prove the contrary of a statement.7. either of two contrary things.8. Logic. a proposition so related to another proposition that both may not be true though both may be false, as with the propositions "All judges are male" and "No judges are male."9. by contraries, contrary to expectation.10. on the contrary,a. in opposition to what has been stated.b. from another point of view: On the contrary, there may be some who would agree with you.11. to the contrary,a. to the opposite effect: I believe he is innocent, whatever they may say to the contrary.b. to a different effect.adv.12. in opposition; oppositely; counter: to act contrary to one's own principles.[1200-50; ME contrarie < AF < L contrarius. See CONTRA-1, -ARY]Syn. 1. contradictory, conflicting, counter. See opposite. 4. unfriendly, hostile. CONTRARY, ADVERSE both describe something that opposes. CONTRARY conveys an idea of something impersonal and objective whose opposition happens to be unfavorable: contrary winds. ADVERSE suggests something more personally unfriendly or even hostile; it emphasizes the idea of the resulting misfortune to that which is opposed: The judge rendered a decision adverse to the defendant. 5. intractable, obstinate, headstrong, stubborn, pig-headed.Ant. 4. favorable. 5. obliging, complaisant.
* * *
Universalium. 2010.
