Contrary vs Spite - What's the difference?
contrary | spite |
Opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse.
* Bible, Leviticus xxvi. 21
* Shakespeare
Opposed; contradictory; inconsistent.
* Whewell
Given to opposition; perverse; wayward.
The opposite.
* Shakespeare
One of a pair of propositions that cannot both be simultaneously true.
* I. Watts
(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.
Ill will or hatred toward another, accompanied with the disposition to irritate, annoy, or thwart; a desire to vex or injure; petty malice; grudge; rancor.
* Shakespeare
(obsolete) Vexation; chagrin; mortification.
To treat maliciously; to try to injure or thwart.
(obsolete) To be angry at; to hate.
To fill with spite; to offend; to vex.
As nouns the difference between contrary and spite
is that contrary is the opposite while spite is ill will or hatred toward another, accompanied with the disposition to irritate, annoy, or thwart; a desire to vex or injure; petty malice; grudge; rancor.As verbs the difference between contrary and spite
is that contrary is (obsolete) to oppose; to frustrate while spite is to treat maliciously; to try to injure or thwart.As an adjective contrary
is opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse.As an adverb contrary
is contrarily.As a preposition spite is
notwithstanding; despite.contrary
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- contrary winds
- And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me
- We have lost our labour; they are gone a contrary way.
- The doctrine of the earth's motion appeared to be contrary to the sacred Scripture.
- a contrary''' disposition; a '''contrary child
Derived terms
* contrarian * contrarily * contrariwise * contrary toNoun
(contraries)- No contraries hold more antipathy / Than I and such a knave.
- 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
* witherwardDerived terms
* on the contrary * to the contraryVerb
(en-verb)References
* * * *spite
English
Etymology 1
From a shortening of (etyl) despit, from (etyl) despit (whence despite). Compare also Dutch spijt.Noun
(en-noun)- He was so filled with spite for his ex-wife, he could not hold down a job.
- They did it just for spite .
- This is the deadly spite that angers.
- "The time is out of joint: O cursed spite." Shakespeare, Hamlet
Verb
(spit)- She soon married again, to spite her ex-husband.
- The Danes, then pagans, spited places of religion. — Fuller.
- Darius, spited at the Magi, endeavoured to abolish not only their learning, but their language. — Sir. W. Temple.