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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Contrary \Con"tra*ry\, noun; pl. {Contraries}.
1. A thing that is of contrary or opposite qualities.
No contraries hold more antipathy Than I and such a knave. --Shak.
2. An opponent; an enemy. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
3. the opposite; a proposition, fact, or condition incompatible with another; as, slender proofs which rather show the contrary. See {Converse}, noun,
1. --Locke.
4. (Logic) See {Contraries}.
{On the contrary}, in opposition; on the other hand. --Swift.
{To the contrary}, to an opposite purpose or intent; on the other side. ''They did it, not for want of instruction to the contrary.'' --Bp. Stillingfleet.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Contrary \Con"tra*ry\ (? or ?; 48), adjective [OE. contrarie, contraire, F. contraire, fr. L. contrarius, fr. contra. See {Contra-}.]
1. Opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse; as, contrary winds.
And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me. --Lev. xxvi. 21.
We have lost our labor; they are gone a contrary way. --Shak.
2. Opposed; contradictory; repugnant; inconsistent.
Fame, if not double-faced, is double mouthed, And with contrary blast proclaims most deeds. --Milton.
The doctrine of the earth's motion appeared to be contrary to the sacred Scripture. --Whewell.
3. Given to opposition; perverse; forward; wayward; as, a contrary disposition; a contrary child.
4. (Logic) Affirming the opposite; so opposed as to destroy each other; as, contrary propositions.
{Contrary motion} (Mus.), the progression of parts in opposite directions, one ascending, the other descending.
Syn: Adverse; repugnant; hostile; inimical; discordant; inconsistent.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Contrary \Con"tra*ry\, verb (used with an object) [F. contrarier. See {Contrary}, adjective] To contradict or oppose; to thwart. [Obs.]
I was advised not to contrary the king. --Bp. Latimer.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
contrary
adjective
1: very opposed in nature or character or purpose; "acts contrary to our code of ethics"; "the facts point to a contrary conclusion"
2: of words or propositions so related that both cannot be true but both may be false; "'hot' and 'cold' are contrary terms"
3: resistant to guidance or discipline; "Mary Mary quite contrary"; "an obstinate child with a violent temper"; "a perverse mood"; "wayward behavior" [syn: {obstinate}, {perverse}, {wayward}]
4: in an opposing direction; "adverse currents"; "a contrary wind" [syn: {adverse}]
noun
1: a relation of direct opposition; "we thought Sue was older than Bill but just the reverse was true" [syn: {reverse}, {opposite}]
2: exact opposition; "public opinion to the contrary he is not guilty"
3: two propositions are contraries if both cannot be true but both can be false
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
275 Moby Thesaurus words for "contrary": abjuratory, abnegative, adversary, adversative, adverse, adversive, alien, antagonistic, anti, antipathetic, antipodal, antipode, antipodean, antipodes, antipole, antithesis, antithetic, antithetical, antonym, antonymous, argumentative, assorted, at cross-purposes, at loggerheads, at odds, at opposite extremes, at variance, at war, awkward, back to back, bad, balancing, balky, bulky, cantankerous, choking, clashing, clumsy, compensating, competitive, con, conflicting, confounding, confronting, confutative, confuting, constrictive, contra, contradicting, contradictory, contradistinct, contrapositive, contrarily, contrarious, contrariwise, contrasted, contrasting, contrawise, contumacious, converse, conversely, counter, counteractive, counterbalance, counterbalancing, countercheck, counterpoint, counterpoise, counterpoised, counterpole, counterproductive, counterterm, countervailing, cranky, cross, cross-grained, crosswise, cumbersome, dead against, denying, departing, detrimental, deviant, deviating, deviative, different, differentiated, differing, difficult, disaccordant, disaffirming, disagreeable, disagreeing, disallowing, disavowing, disclaiming, discordant, discrepant, discrete, discriminated, disharmonious, disjoined, disowning, disparate, disproportionate, dissentient, dissenting, dissident, dissimilar, dissonant, distinct, distinguished, divergent, diverging, divers, diverse, diversified, enemy, eyeball to eyeball, face to face, foil, foul, fractious, froward, grating, hard, harmful, headstrong, heterogeneous, hindering, hindersome, hostile, hulking, hulky, immiscible, impractical, in disagreement, in opposition, in opposition to, in the way, inaccordant, inauspicious, incompatible, incongruous, inconsistent, inconsonant, inconvenient, inharmonious, inhibiting, inhibitive, inimical, inopportune, insubordinate, interrupting, interruptive, intractable, inverse, irascible, irreconcilable, jangling, jarring, just opposite, many, miserable, motley, multifarious, negative, negatory, nonconformable, nonconforming, nonconformist, noncooperative, nonobservant, nose to nose, not easy, obstinate, obstructing, obstructive, obstruent, obverse, occlusive, offset, opponent, opposed, opposing, opposite, opposite number, oppositely, oppositional, oppositive, oppugnant, ornery, out of accord, out of whack, overthwart, perverse, perversely, polar, poles apart, poles asunder, ponderous, rebellious, recalcitrant, recanting, recusant, refractory, refutative, refutatory, refuting, renunciative, renunciatory, repressive, repudiative, repugnant, restive, restrictive, reverse, revocative, revocatory, rigorous, rival, self-willed, separate, separated, setoff, several, sinister, squared off, stifling, strangling, stressful, stubborn, stuffy, sulky, sullen, suppressive, the contrary, the other side, troublesome, troublous, trying, unaccommodating, unadaptable, unadjustable, uncompliant, unconformable, unconforming, uncongenial, uncooperative, unequal, unfavorable, unfortunate, unfriendly, unhandy, unharmonious, unlike, unlucky, unmanageable, unpropitious, unruly, unsubmissive, untoward, unwieldy, variant, varied, variegated, various, varying, vice versa, vis-a-vis, wayward, widely apart, worlds apart, wretched, wrongheaded
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