contrary

== English == === Etymology === From Middle English contrarie, compare French contraire, from Old French contraire, from Latin contrārius (“opposite, opposed, contrary”), from contrā (“against”). === Pronunciation === (UK) IPA(key): /ˈkɒntɹəɹi/, /kənˈtɹɛəɹi/, (haplology) /ˈkɒntɹi/ (US) IPA(key): /ˈkɑntɹɛɹi/ (some pronunciations) Rhymes: -ɛəɹi === Adjective === contrary (comparative more contrary, superlative most contrary) Opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse. Opposed; contradictory; inconsistent. Given to opposition; perverse; wayward. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Adverb === contrary (comparative more contrary, superlative most contrary) Contrarily I never act contrary to my principles. === Noun === contrary (plural contraries) The opposite. (logic) One of a pair of propositions that cannot both be simultaneously true, though they may both be false. (historical) A type of loaded die. ==== Synonyms ==== witherward ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== (logic): subcontrary contrarian ==== Translations ==== === Verb === 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. ==== Related terms ==== contra counter ==== Translations ==== === References === “contrary”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC. William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin Eli Smith, editors (1895–1910), “contrary”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC. “contrary”, in OneLook Dictionary Search. John A. Simpson and Edmund S. C. Weiner, editors (1989), “contrary”, in The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Clarendon Press, →ISBN.