Dictionary

contrary en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈkɑntɹɛɹi/ (US)
• /ˈkɒntɹi/ (UK) haplology
• /ˈkɒntɹəɹi/ (UK)
• /kənˈtɹɛəɹi/ (UK)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English contrarie, compare French contraire, from Old French contraire, from Latin contrārius (“opposite, opposed, contrary”), from contrā (“against”).

Meanings

1. Opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse.
   • And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me[…] 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Leviticus 26:21:
   • contrary winds
   • We have lost our labour; they are gone a contrary way. c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene v]:
2. Opposed; contradictory; inconsistent.
   • Galileo [Galilei]'s zeal for his opinions soon led him again to bring the question under the notice of the Pope, and the result was a declaration of the Inquisition that the doctrine of the earth's motion appeared to be contrary to the sacred scripture. 1847, William Whewell, “Sequel to Copernicus—The Reception and Development of the Copernican Theory”, in History of the Inductive Sciences, from the Earliest to the Present Times. […], new edition, volume I, London: John W[illiam] Parker, […], →OCLC, book V (History of Formal Astronomy after the Stationary Period), section 4 (The Copernican System Opposed on Theological Grounds), page 419:
3. Given to opposition; perverse; wayward.
   • a contrary disposition; a contrary child

Forms

Antonyms

cooperative · unopposed · synergistic

Deriveds

contrarian · contrariwise · contrarious · canon by contrary motion · contrary to all expectations · contrary to · contrariness · contrarily

Hyponyms

hostile · cheeky · opposite

Relateds

obstinate

Synonyms

contrariant · disagreeable · opposed · contrary · counter · opposing · contradictory · against the grain · contrarious · at cross purposes · cross · refractory

Translations (64)

de entgegengesetzt (opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse) · fi vastainen (opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse) · mi kōrori (opposed) · nl tegengesteld (opposed) · de querköpfig (given to opposition; perverse; wayward) · ga ciotrúnta (given to opposition; perverse; wayward) · mi tukipoho (opposed) · ro opus (opposed) · de widrig (given to opposition; perverse; wayward) · de anders lautend (opposed) · nl tegenovergesteld (opposed) · de gegen (opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse) · de unbeständig (opposed) · de entgegen (opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse) · ja 逆の (opposed) · la contrārius (opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse) · de ungünstig (opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse) · es contrario (opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse) · de widersprechend (opposed) · de im Gegensatz zu (opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse) · de gegenteilig (opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse) · bg обратен (opposed) · de eigenwillig (given to opposition; perverse; wayward) · fi päinvastainen (opposed) · de entgegenstehend (opposed) · mi tūmū (opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse) · de widrig (opposed) · de konträr (given to opposition; perverse; wayward) · de gegenüber (opposed) · kn ಮಾರು (opposed) · fa مخالف (opposed) · it contrario (opposed) · bg противоположен (opposed) · de konträr (opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse) · bg насрещен (opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse) · de im Widerspruch zu (opposed) · de gegensätzlich (opposed) · ro contrar (opposed) · de trotzig (given to opposition; perverse; wayward) · de bockbeinig (given to opposition; perverse; wayward) · de widrig (opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse) · es contrario (opposed) · de gegenläufig (opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse) · de konträr (opposed) · it opposto (opposed) · eo malakorda (opposed) · fr contraire (opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse) · de zuwiderlaufend (opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse) · de bockig (given to opposition; perverse; wayward) · de zuwiderlaufend (opposed) · de zuwider (opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse) · cmn 相反 (opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse) · ga contrártha (opposed) · fr contraire (opposed) · fi vastakkainen (opposed) · la contrārius (opposed) · de entgegenstehend (opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse) · mi tukipoho (opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse) · ja 反する (opposed) · de widersprüchlich (opposed) · de widerspenstig (given to opposition; perverse; wayward) · de anderslautend (opposed) · izh vassakkain (opposed) · fa جدکاره (opposed)

contrary en · ADV

Pronunciation

• /ˈkɑntɹɛɹi/ (US)
• /ˈkɒntɹi/ (UK) haplology
• /ˈkɒntɹəɹi/ (UK)
• /kənˈtɹɛəɹi/ (UK)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English contrarie, compare French contraire, from Old French contraire, from Latin contrārius (“opposite, opposed, contrary”), from contrā (“against”).

Meanings

1. Contrarily
   • I never act contrary to my principles.

Forms

contrary en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈkɑntɹɛɹi/ (US)
• /ˈkɒntɹi/ (UK) haplology
• /ˈkɒntɹəɹi/ (UK)
• /kənˈtɹɛəɹi/ (UK)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English contrarie, compare French contraire, from Old French contraire, from Latin contrārius (“opposite, opposed, contrary”), from contrā (“against”).

Meanings

1. The opposite.
   • No contraries hold more antipathy Than I and such a knave. c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:
2. One of a pair of propositions that cannot both be simultaneously true, though they may both be false.
   • 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. 1725, Isaac Watts, Logick: Or, The Right Use of Reason in the Enquiry after Truth, […], 2nd edition, London: […] John Clark and Richard Hett, […], Emanuel Matthews, […], and Richard Ford, […], published 1726, →OCLC:
3. (historical) A type of loaded die.

Forms

Deriveds

by contraries · on the contrary · quite the contrary · to the contrary

Relateds

contrarian · subcontrary

Synonyms

witherward

Translations (10)

de Gegner (the opposite) · de Gegenspielerin (the opposite) · gl aveso (the opposite) · fr contraire (the opposite) · de Gegenspieler (the opposite) · bg обратно (the opposite) · de Gegenteil (the opposite) · de Gegnerin (the opposite) · fr contrepied (the opposite) · gl contrario (the opposite)

contrary en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈkɑntɹɛɹi/ (US)
• /ˈkɒntɹi/ (UK) haplology
• /ˈkɒntɹəɹi/ (UK)
• /kənˈtɹɛəɹi/ (UK)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English contrarie, compare French contraire, from Old French contraire, from Latin contrārius (“opposite, opposed, contrary”), from contrā (“against”).

Meanings

1. (obsolete) To oppose; to frustrate.
   • You that be of the court, & eſpecially ye ſworn chaplains beware of a leſſon that a great man taught me at my firſt coming to the court he told me for a good will, he thoughte it wel. He ſayd vnto me. You muſt beware how ſo euer ye do that ye cõtrary not the king, let him haue his ſaiyngs, folow him, go with him. Mary out vpon this counſel, ſhal I ſay, as he ſayes? 1549 April 29 (Gregorian calendar), Hughe Latymer [i.e., Hugh Latimer], Augustine Bernher, compiler, “[27 Sermons Preached by the Ryght Reuerende Father in God and Constant Matir of Iesus Christe, Maister Hugh Latimer, […].] The Seuenth Sermon of Maister Hugh Latymer, which He Preached before King Edward [VI], the .19. Day of Aprill.”, in Certayn Godly Sermons, Made uppon the Lords Prayer, […], London: […] John Day, […], published 1562, →OCLC, folio 93, recto:
   • 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[…]. 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 47, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book I, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
2. (obsolete) To impugn.
3. (obsolete) To contradict (someone or something).
   • 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 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, chapter LXXVII, in Le Morte Darthur, book X:
   • I finde them everie one in his turne to have reason, although they contrary one another. 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 12, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
4. (obsolete) To do the opposite of (someone or something).
5. (obsolete) To act inconsistently or perversely; to act in opposition to.
6. (obsolete) To argue; to debate; to uphold an opposite opinion.
7. (obsolete) To be self-contradictory; to become reversed.

Forms

Relateds

counter · contra

Translations (7)

mi tukipoho (frustrating) · de hindern (frustrating) · de behindern (frustrating) · de sich widersetzen (frustrating) · de entgegensetzen (frustrating) · de verhindern (frustrating) · de widersetzen (frustrating)