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What is the difference between contrary and against?

contrary | against |

In obsolete terms the difference between contrary and against

is that contrary is to be self-contradictory; to become reversed while against is by the time that (something happened); before.

As an adjective contrary

is opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse.

As a noun contrary

is the opposite.

As a verb contrary

is to oppose; to frustrate.

As a preposition against is

A close but separated relationship.

As a conjunction against is

by the time that (something happened); before.

contrary

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse.
  • contrary winds
  • * Bible, Leviticus xxvi. 21
  • And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me
  • * Shakespeare
  • We have lost our labour; they are gone a contrary way.
  • Opposed; contradictory; inconsistent.
  • * Whewell
  • The doctrine of the earth's motion appeared to be contrary to the sacred Scripture.
  • Given to opposition; perverse; wayward.
  • a contrary''' disposition; a '''contrary child

    Derived terms

    * contrarian * contrarily * contrariwise * contrary to

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • Contrarily
  • Noun

    (contraries)
  • The opposite.
  • * Shakespeare
  • No contraries hold more antipathy / Than I and such a knave.
  • One of a pair of propositions that cannot both be simultaneously true.
  • * I. Watts
  • 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.

    Synonyms

    * witherward

    Derived terms

    * on the contrary * to the contrary

    Verb

    (en-verb)
  • (obsolete) To oppose; to frustrate.
  • *Bishop Latimer
  • *:I was advised not to contrary the king.
  • *, I.47:
  • *: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.
  • (obsolete) To impugn.
  • (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 la?celot 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
  • *, II.12:
  • *:I finde them everie one in his turne to have reason, although they contrary one another.
  • (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.
  • References

    * * * *

    against

    English

    Alternative forms

    * againest (obsolete), agaynst (obsolete), agaynest (obsolete) * agenst (obsolete), agenest (obsolete), ageinst (obsolete), ageinest (qualifier), ageynst (obsolete), ageynest (qualifier), agin (colloquial or humorous)

    Preposition

    (English prepositions)
  • A close but separated relationship.
  • #In a contrary direction to.
  • #:
  • #Close to.(rfex)
  • #:
  • #*
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=5 , passage=We expressed our readiness, and in ten minutes were in the station wagon, rolling rapidly down the long drive, for it was then after nine.
  • #In front of; before a background.
  • #:
  • #In physical contact with.
  • #:
  • #In physical opposition to, or in collision with.
  • #:
  • #*{{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Michael Arlen), title= “Piracy”: A Romantic Chronicle of These Days, chapter=3/19/2
  • , passage=Ivor had acquired more than a mile of fishing rights with the house?; he was not at all a good fisherman, but one must do something?; one generally, however, banged a ball with a squash-racket against a wall.}}
  • A contrasting or competitive relationship.
  • #In contrast and/or comparison with.
  • #:
  • #In competition with, versus.
  • #:
  • #*
  • #*:“[…] it is not fair of you to bring against mankind double weapons ! Dangerous enough you are as woman alone, without bringing to your aid those gifts of mind suited to problems which men have been accustomed to arrogate to themselves.”
  • #*{{quote-news, year=2011, date=September 24, author=Aled Williams, work=BBC Sport
  • , title= Chelsea 4-1 Swansea , passage=The breakthrough came through Torres who, pilloried for his miss against Manchester United a week earlier, scored his second goal of the season.}}
  • #In opposition to.
  • #:
  • #*
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=4 , passage=Mr. Cooke at once began a tirade against the residents of Asquith for permitting a sandy and generally disgraceful condition of the roads. So roundly did he vituperate the inn management in particular, and with such a loud flow of words, that I trembled lest he should be heard on the veranda.}}
  • #*{{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=May-June, author= David Van Tassel], [http://www.americanscientist.org/authors/detail/lee-dehaan Lee DeHaan
  • , title= Wild Plants to the Rescue, volume=101, issue=3, magazine=(American Scientist), passage=Plant breeding is always a numbers game.
  • In exchange for.(rfex)
  • As counterbalance to.(rfex)
  • As a charge on.(rfex)
  • As protection from.
  • :
  • *{{quote-journal, year=1988, date=March 1, author=Caroni, Pico, coauthors=Schwab, Martin E. , title=Antibody against myelin associated inhibitor of neurite growth neutralizes nonpermissive substrate properties of CNS white matter, journal=Neuron citation
  • , passage=Monoclonal antibodies were raised against these proteins: IN-1 and IN-2 bound both to the 35 kd and 250 kd inhibitors and to the surface of differentiated cultured oligodendrocytes.}}
  • (lb) Exposed to.(rfex)
  • In anticipation of; in preparation for (a particular time, event etc.).
  • *, II.11:
  • *:He wrote to a friend of his, that he lived but with browne bread and water, and entreated him to send him a piece of cheese, against the time he was to make a solemne feast.
  • Synonyms

    * (in competition with) versus

    Antonyms

    * for * with

    Conjunction

    (head)
  • (obsolete) By the time that (something happened); before.
  • * , II.ix:
  • Thence she them brought into a stately Hall, / Wherein were many tables faire dispred, / And ready dight with drapets festiuall, / Against the viaundes should be ministred.
  • * 1749 , Henry Fielding, Tom Jones , Folio Society 1973, p. 6:
  • He now gave Mrs Deborah positive orders to take the child to her own bed, and to call up a maid-servant to provide it pap, and other things, against it waked.

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • In opposition to something.
  • (gambling) Having a specified likelihood of not winning or happening.
  • Statistics

    *