Contrary

• POS: Adjective, Noun, Adverb
• HYPHEN: con=tra=ry

CIDE DICTIONARY

Contrary, a. [OE. contrarie, contraire, F. contraire, fr. L. contrarius, fr. contra. See Contra-.].

•  Opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse; as, contrary winds.  [1913 Webster]

  "And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me."  [1913 Webster]

  "We have lost our labor; they are gone a contrary way."  [1913 Webster]
•  Opposed; contradictory; repugnant; inconsistent.  [1913 Webster]

  "Fame, if not double-faced, is double mouthed,
  And with contrary blast proclaims most deeds."  [1913 Webster]

  "The doctrine of the earth's motion appeared to be contrary to the sacred Scripture."  [1913 Webster]
•  Given to opposition; perverse; forward; wayward; as, a contrary disposition; a contrary child.  [1913 Webster]
•  Affirming the opposite; so opposed as to destroy each other; as, contrary propositions.  [1913 Webster]

Contrary motion (Mus.), the progression of parts in opposite directions, one ascending, the other descending.

Syn. -- Adverse; repugnant; hostile; inimical; discordant; inconsistent.

Contrary, n. 

•  A thing that is of contrary or opposite qualities.  [1913 Webster]

  "No contraries hold more antipathy
  Than I and such a knave."  [1913 Webster]
•  An opponent; an enemy.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]
•  the opposite; a proposition, fact, or condition incompatible with another; as, slender proofs which rather show the contrary. See Converse, n., 1.  Locke.  [1913 Webster]
•  See Contraries.  [1913 Webster]

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.

Contrary, v. t. [F. contrarier. See Contrary, a.].

 To contradict or oppose; to thwart.  [1913 Webster]
"I was advised not to contrary the king."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Contrary, adj., n., & adv.
--adj.
1 (usu. foll. by to) opposed in nature or tendency.
2 colloq. perverse, self-willed.
3 (of a wind) unfavourable, impeding.
4 mutually opposed.
5 opposite in position or direction.
--n. (pl. -ies) (prec. by the) the opposite.
--adv. (foll. by to) in opposition or contrast (contrary to expectations it rained).

Idiom

on the contrary intensifying a denial of what has just been implied or stated. to the contrary to the opposite effect (can find no indication to the contrary).

Derivative

contrarily (in sense 2 of adj.) adv. contrariness (in sense 2 of adj.) n.

Etymology

ME f. AF contrarie, OF contraire, f. L contrarius f. contra against

THESAURUS

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

ROGET THESAURUS

Contrary

Caprice

N caprice, fancy, humor, whim, whimsy, whimsey, whimwham, crotchet, capriccio, quirk, freak, maggot, fad, vagary, prank, fit, flimflam, escapade, boutade, wild-goose chase, capriciousness, kink, capricious, erratic, eccentric, fitful, hysterical, full of whims, maggoty, inconsistent, fanciful, fantastic, whimsical, crotchety, kinky, particular, humorsome, freakish, skittish, wanton, wayward, contrary, captious, arbitrary, unconformable, penny wise and pound foolish, fickle, frivolous, sleeveless, giddy, volatile, by fits and starts, without rhyme or reason, nil fuit unquain sic inipar sibi, the deuce is in him.

Contrariety

N contrariety, contrast, foil, antithesis, oppositeness, contradiction, antagonism, clashing, repugnance, inversion, the opposite, the reverse, the inverse, the converse, the antipodes, the antithesis, the other extreme, contrary, contrarious, contrariant, opposite, counter, dead against, converse, reverse, opposed, antithetical, contrasted, antipodean, antagonistic, opposing, conflicting, inconsistent, contradictory, at cross purposes, negative, hostile, differing toto coelo, diametrically opposite, diametrically opposed, as opposite as black and white, as opposite as light and darkness, as opposite as fire and water, as opposite as the poles, as different as night and day, Hyperion to a satyr, quite the contrary, quite the reverse, no such thing, just the other way, tout au contraire, contrarily, contra, contrariwise, per contra, on the contrary, nay rather, vice versa, on the other hand, all concord's born of contraries, Thesis, antithesis, synthesis.

Opposition

N opposition, antagonism, oppugnancy, oppugnation, impugnation, contrariety, contravention, counteraction, counterplot, cross fire, undercurrent, head wind, clashing, collision, conflict, competition, two of a trade, rivalry, emulation, race, absence of aid, resistance, restraint, hindrance, opposing, opposed, adverse, antagonistic, contrary, at variance, at issue, at war with, unfavorable, unfriendly, hostile, inimical, cross, unpropitious, in hostile array, front to front, with crossed bayonets, at daggers drawn, up in arms, resistant, competitive, emulous, against, versus, counter to, in conflict with, at cross purposes, against the grain, against the current, against the stream, against the wind, against the tide, with a headwind, with the wind ahead, with the wind in one's teeth, in spite, in despite, in defiance, in the way, in the teeth of, in the face of, across, athwart, overthwart, where the shoe pinches, in spite of one's teeth, though, even, quand meme, per contra, nitor in adversum.

Counteraction

N counteraction, opposition, contrariety, antagonism, polarity, clashing, collision, interference, inhibition, resistance, renitency, friction, reaction, retroaction, counterblast, neutralization, vis inertiae, check, voluntary opposition &c, voluntary resistance, repression, opposites, action and reaction, yang and yin, yang-yin (contrariety), counteracting, antagonistic, conflicting, retroactive, renitent, reactionary, contrary, although, in spite of, against, for every action there is a reaction, equal in force and opposite in direction.