Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.
opponent en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /əˈpəʊ.nənt/
- (Southern-England) audio
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin oppōnēns (“opposing”), present active participle of oppōnō (“to oppose”).
Meanings
-
(obsolete) Opposing; adverse; antagonistic.
Young Ithacus advanc’d, defies the foe,
Poising his lifted lance in act to throw:
The savage renders vain the wound decreed,
And springs impetuous with opponent speed!
1726, Elijah Fenton, transl., The Odyssey of Homer, Translated from the Greek by Alexander Pope, London, published 1760, Volume 4, Book 19, lines 524-525, p. 44:[…] we are to consider enemies as men opponent to peace and justice, and to these they are by warrs to be reduced; And no other ends in the pursuite of enemies by sword and hostile Acts are to be sought for […]
1647, Francis Bland, The Souldiers March to Salvation, York, page 25:Let it not be supposed, that by “catholic,” I mean to designate men who are lax in their principles, and alike indifferent to all religious systems. On the contrary, they are more earnestly attached to truth, and more opponent to sin than others […]
1828, Stephen Drew, Principles of Self-Knowledge, London: Longman, Volume 2, Section 23, p. 24:The reasons you have urged are indeed weighty: yet they have never made an impression so deep upon my mind, as not to take flight, and leave their opponent arguments in some sort the victors.
1792, Thomas Holcroft, Anna St. Ives, London: Shepperson and Reynolds, Volume 4, Letter 64, p. 53:
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(obsolete) Situated in front; opposite.
Her sympathizing Lover takes his Stand
High on th’ opponent Bank […]
a. 1749 (date written), James Thomson, “Spring”, in The Seasons, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, and sold by Thomas Cadell, […], published 1768, →OCLC, page 33:
Forms
opponent en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /əˈpəʊ.nənt/
- (Southern-England) audio
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin oppōnēns (“opposing”), present active participle of oppōnō (“to oppose”).
Meanings
-
One who opposes another; one who works or takes a position against someone or something; one who attempts to stop the progress of someone or something.
The person who ran against her in the last election proved to be a formidable opponent.
During the crackdown, many opponents of the regime were arrested.
-
One who opposes another; one who works or takes a position against someone or something; one who attempts to stop the progress of someone or something. ▸ One who opposes another physically (in a fight, sport, game, or competition).
[…] he slid his right hand down to his left, and with the full swing of the weapon struck his opponent on the left side of the head, who instantly measured his length upon the green sward.
1819 December 20 (indicated as 1820), Walter Scott, “[HTTP://WWW.GUTENBERG.ORG/FILES/82/82-H/82-H.HTM CHAPTER 11]”, in Ivanhoe; a Romance. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co. […], →OCLC:1720, Alexander Pope, The Iliad of Homer, London: Bernard Lintott, Volume 6, “Observations on the Twenty-Third Book,” no. 39, p. 136,
In the Chariot-Race Achilles is represented as being able to conquer every Opponent […]
[…] it is possible for a good [draughts] player to defeat an opponent without capturing his pieces.
1958, Graham Greene, Our Man in Havana, New York: Pocket Books, published 1974, Part 5, Chapter 5, p. 196:
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One who opposes another; one who works or takes a position against someone or something; one who attempts to stop the progress of someone or something. ▸ One who opposes another in words (in a dispute, argument or controversy).
“What more have you to say?” she asked, rather in the tone in which a person might address an opponent of adult age than such as is ordinarily used to a child.
1847, Charlotte Brontë, chapter 4, in Jane Eyre:It is easier to confound than to convince an opponent; the former may be effected by a turn that has more happiness than truth in it.
1777, Hannah More, “Thoughts on Conversation”, in Essays on Various Subjects, London: J. Wilkie and T. Cadell, page 54:
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One who opposes another; one who works or takes a position against someone or something; one who attempts to stop the progress of someone or something. ▸ One who is opposed or objects (to a policy, course of action or set of ideas).
My own friends had been among the bitterest opponents of any proposal to visit the Captain and his daughters, only twelve months before; and now he was even admitted in the tabooed hours before twelve.
1853, Elizabeth Gaskell, chapter 1, in Cranford:She was a dedicated opponent of the death penalty.
Their Oath is to maintain the Romish-Catholick Religion, and persecute all Opponents to it.
1652, Peter Heylin, Cosmographie, London: Henry Seile, Book 1, Part 20, p. 205:
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(historical) One who opposes another; one who works or takes a position against someone or something; one who attempts to stop the progress of someone or something. ▸ The participant who opens an academic debate by putting forward objections to a theological or philosophical thesis.
[…] this untoward Method allows him who is the Respondent, to prevaricate from his Duty, and turn Opponent: Which confounds those two Offices, and perverts all the Laws of Reasoning or Discoursing.
1700, John Sergeant, Transnatural Philosophy, London, Book 3, Chapter 1, p. 276:[…] diuinitie disputations, in all which those learned opponents, respondents, & moderators, quited themselues like themselues, sharplie and soundlie, besides all other solemne sermons & lectures.
1587, Raphael Holinshed et al., “The Continvation of the chronicles of England from the yeare of our Lord 1576, to this present yeare 1586, &c.”, in The First and Second Volumes of Chronicles, London, page 1355:We make the argument appere slender, when we receiue it laughyngly, and declare by wordes, euen at the first, that it is nothyng to the purpose, and so abashe the opponent.
1551, Thomas Wilson, “The maner of confutacion twoo waies considered”, in The Rule of Reason, conteinyng the Arte of Logique, London:[…] by the many Disputes that rise from hence, Mens Wits were confounded with their matters, Truth was lost & Brotherhood destroyed: thus the Devil acted the Part both of Opponent and Defendant, and managed the Passions of both Parties to his End, which was DISCORD.
1679, William Penn, An Address to Protestants, London, Part 2, p. 77:
Forms
Antonyms
proponent (antonym(s) of “one who opposes”) · respondent (antonym(s) of “person who opens an academic debate”) · advocate (antonym(s) of “one who opposes”) · supporter (antonym(s) of “one who opposes”)
Deriveds
ops · opps · opp · op · party opponent · opponency
Synonyms
antagonist · opp · adversary · opp · opp · opp · opp
Translations (143)
bg проти́вник (one who opposes another physically) · hu ellenző (one who objects to a policy, etc.) · be супраці́ўнік (one who opposes another) · uk супроти́вниця (one who opposes another) · bg проти́вница (one who opposes another physically) · fi opponentti (one who opposes another in words) · mk противник (one who opposes another) · got 𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍃𐍄𐌰𐌸𐌾𐌹𐍃 (one who opposes another) · cs protivnice (one who opposes another) · fr opposant (one who opposes another) · uk проти́вниця (one who opposes another) · ru оппоне́нт (one who opposes another) · da kritiker (one who objects to a policy, etc.) · pl przeciwniczka (one who opposes another physically) · sh pròtīvnīk (one who opposes another physically) · fi vastustaja (one who opposes another physically) · pl przeciwnik (one who opposes another) · ka ოპონენტი (one who opposes another) · pl oponent (one who opposes another) · mi hoa kakari (one who opposes another) · uk супроти́вник (one who opposes another) · sk odporca (one who opposes another) · fr adversaire (one who opposes another physically) · grc ἀντίπαλος (one who opposes another) · cmn 敵手 /敌手 (one who opposes another physically) · ka მეტოქე (one who opposes another physically) · uk опоне́нт (one who opposes another) · es oponente (one who opposes another physically) · mi whewheia (one who opposes another) · grc ἀντίπαλος (one who opposes another physically) · mk противничка (one who opposes another physically) · cs odpůrkyně (one who opposes another) · cs oponent (one who opposes another in words) · da modstander (one who opposes another) · sl nasprotnica (one who opposes another physically) · be апане́нт (one who opposes another) · ka მოწინააღმდეგე (one who opposes another) · sv motståndare (one who opposes another physically) · es oponente (one who opposes another) · uk проти́вниця (one who objects to a policy, etc.) · it avversario (one who opposes another physically) · es antagonista (one who opposes another) · sk protivníčka (one who opposes another) · el αντίπαλος (one who opposes another physically) · mk противничка (one who opposes another) · ru проти́вница (one who opposes another physically) · cs odpůrce (one who opposes another) · mi hoa tautohe (one who opposes another in words) · de Gegnerin (one who opposes another) · be праці́ўнік (one who opposes another physically) · hu ellenfél (one who opposes another) · fi vastaväittäjä (one who opposes another in words) · sv motståndare (one who opposes another) · sh про̀тӣвница (one who opposes another) · ar مُنَاوِئ (one who opposes another) · ru проти́вница (one who opposes another) · sl nasprotnik (one who opposes another physically) · cs protivník (one who opposes another physically) · nl opponent (one who opposes another) · hu opponens (one who opposes another in words) · ka მოწინააღმდეგე (one who opposes another physically) · be супраці́ўніца (one who opposes another physically) · be супраці́ўніца (one who opposes another) · uk проти́вник (one who objects to a policy, etc.) · ota رقیب (one who opposes another) · sh pròtīvnica (one who opposes another) · bg проти́вник (one who opposes another) · hi विरोधी (one who opposes another) · be праці́ўнік (one who opposes another) · am ተወዳዳሪ (one who opposes another) · ru оппоне́нтка (one who opposes another) · sk odporkyňa (one who opposes another) · mi wheinga (one who opposes another physically) · uk проти́вниця (one who opposes another physically) · ar خَصْم (one who opposes another in words) · tr rakip (one who opposes another) · de Gegner (one who opposes another) · mk противник (one who opposes another physically) · es contrincante (one who opposes another physically) · sk protivníčka (one who opposes another physically) · eo opoziciulo (one who opposes another physically) · mi hoariri (one who opposes another) · ru проти́вник (one who opposes another) · sh про̀тӣвнӣк (one who opposes another) · fi vastustaja (one who opposes another) · fi vastaehdokas (one who objects to a policy, etc.) · hu ellenfél (one who opposes another physically) · es adversario (one who opposes another in words) · hi प्रतियोगी (one who opposes another) · ko 상대 (one who opposes another) · uk опоне́нтка (one who opposes another) · es opositor (one who objects to a policy, etc.) · be праці́ўніца (one who opposes another physically) · sk protivník (one who opposes another physically) · pdt Jäajna (one who opposes another) · ru проти́вник (one who opposes another physically) · ja 相手 (one who opposes another) · la adversarius (one who opposes another physically) · be супраці́ўнік (one who opposes another physically) · ar خَصْم (one who opposes another physically) · pl oponentka (one who opposes another) · eo kontraŭulo (one who opposes another physically) · uk проти́вник (one who opposes another) · cmn 對手 /对手 (one who opposes another physically) · sh pròtīvnica (one who opposes another physically) · sh про̀тӣвнӣк (one who opposes another physically) · pl przeciwniczka (one who opposes another) · sh pròtīvnīk (one who opposes another) · cs protivník (one who opposes another) · eo opoziciulo (one who opposes another) · sh про̀тӣвница (one who opposes another physically) · pl przeciwnik (one who opposes another physically) · th ผู้คัดค้าน (one who objects to a policy, etc.) · be праці́ўніца (one who opposes another) · fi vastustaja (one who opposes another in words) · bg опонент (one who opposes another in words) · mi kaitāwari (one who objects to a policy, etc.) · sl nasprotnik (one who opposes another) · la adversarius (one who opposes another) · ca oposant (one who opposes another) · sa विपक्ष (one who opposes another) · uk супроти́вник (one who opposes another physically) · hu ellenfél (one who opposes another in words) · pl adwersarka (one who opposes another) · bg проти́вничка (one who opposes another) · pl adwersarz (one who opposes another) · mi wheinga (one who opposes another) · uk проти́вник (one who opposes another physically) · sl nasprotnica (one who opposes another) · uk супроти́вниця (one who opposes another physically) · sk protivník (one who opposes another) · be апане́нтка (one who opposes another) · hi विरोधी (one who opposes another physically) · bg проти́вница (one who opposes another) · bg проти́вничка (one who opposes another physically) · fi vastustaja (one who objects to a policy, etc.) · az rəqib (one who opposes another) · ka მეტოქე (one who opposes another) · th คู่ต่อสู้ (one who opposes another) · cs protivnice (one who opposes another physically) · cmn 對方 /对方 (one who opposes another) · la obversus (one who opposes another) · eo kontraŭulo (one who opposes another)