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contrary

con·trar·y [ kón trèrree ]

adjective

Definition:

1. conflicting: not at all in agreement with something

Such arrangements were contrary to his moral code.

2. opposite: opposite in direction

flew in a direction contrary to the rest of the airplanes

3. obstructing or hindering progress: making forward motion extremely hard

slowed by contrary winds

4. [ kón trèrree, kən trérree ] deliberately disobedient: willfully disobedient or uncooperative

a contrary child

5. logic unable to be true at once: describes a pair of propositions that cannot both be true, though they may both be false

noun

Definition:

the opposite: the opposite of something

Actually, the contrary is true.

[13th century. Via Anglo-Norman< Latin contrarius< contra "against"]

con·trar·i·ly [ kón trèrrilee ] adverb

con·trar·i·ness [ kón trèrrinəss ] noun

contrary to differently from

on or to the contrary quite the reverse is true

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