# contrary

Pronunciation: US say "KON-trair-ee" /ˈkɑntɹɛɹi/; UK say "KON-truh-ree" /ˈkɒntɹəɹi/

## Adjective

1. Opposite in direction, position, or nature; running counter to something, or unfavorable to it.
   - Simple: Going in the opposite direction or position, or working against something.
   - _A contrary current dragged the swimmers away from the shore._
   - _The jury reached a verdict contrary to public expectation._
3. Opposed to or in conflict with something; contradictory or inconsistent with it.
   - Simple: Going against something and not agreeing with it.
   - _The findings were contrary to the team's original hypothesis._
   - _She held a contrary view and refused to sign the report._
4. Inclined to oppose or disagree; stubbornly doing the opposite of what is wanted or expected. (pronounced: say "kuhn-TRAIR-ee" US /kənˈtɹɛɹi/, UK /kənˈtɹɛəɹi/)
   - Simple: Always wanting to argue or do the opposite of what others want.
   - _Their contrary uncle objected to each idea on principle alone._
   - _He was a contrary man, opposing even his closest friends._

## Noun

2. The thing that is the opposite of what has been stated or assumed.
   - Simple: The other way around from what someone said or thought.
   - _Her calm manner suggested confidence, though her shaking hands told the contrary._
   - _Many assume money brings happiness, but experience often proves the contrary._
6. One of a pair of propositions that cannot both be true at the same time, although both may be false.
   - Simple: A statement that cannot be true together with its pair, though both can be false.
   - _Logicians treat 'everyone passed' and 'no one passed' as contraries, because both fail if some passed and some did not._
   - _A contrary differs from a contradictory in that the two members can both be false._
7. A kind of loaded die, weighted so that it lands on particular faces more often than chance would allow.
   - Simple: A loaded die, secretly weighted to fall a certain way when thrown.
   - _The gamester slipped a contrary onto the table, and the dice fell sixes all evening._
   - _Caught with a pair of contraries, the cheat was thrown out of the tavern._

## Adverb

5. In a manner opposed to something; conversely, against what is supposed.
   - Simple: In the opposite way, or against what is expected or said.
   - _Contrary to the forecast, the afternoon stayed dry and clear._
   - _The new figures point contrary to last year's trend._

## Verb

8. To oppose someone or something; to block or frustrate a plan or effort. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To go against someone or to stop their plans from working.
   - _The council contraried the bishop's decree, delaying it for months._
   - _He would contrary any plan that did not serve his own interest._
9. To contradict someone or something; to assert the opposite of what is said. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To say someone or something is wrong, or deny what is said.
   - _The scholar contraried his master openly before the assembly._
   - _Few would contrary so learned a judge._
10. To act in the opposite way to someone or something; to do the reverse of what is intended. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To do the opposite of what someone does or wants.
   - _Out of spite she contraried each instruction she was given._
   - _Servants who contrary their masters seldom keep their posts._
11. To behave perversely or inconsistently; to set oneself in opposition to what is expected. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To behave in a difficult way, going against what is asked.
   - _He contraried against all reason, changing his mind by the hour._
   - _Pupils who contrary in class disturb the whole school._
12. To impugn; to challenge or attack the truth, validity, or honesty of someone or something. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To attack someone's words or honesty, saying they cannot be trusted.
   - _The advocate contraried the testimony, calling it a tissue of lies._
   - _None could contrary the saint's reputation for charity._
13. To argue or debate, especially by upholding the opposite opinion to the one put forward. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To argue against an opinion by taking the other side.
   - _In the hall the scholars contraried late into the night over the text._
   - _It pleased him to contrary, taking up whatever view his fellows rejected._
14. To be self-contradictory, or to turn into its own opposite over time or in retelling. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To go against itself, or to turn into the opposite.

## Origin

From Middle English contrarie, from Old French contraire (compare French contraire), from Latin contrārius ('opposite, opposed, contrary'), which itself comes from contrā ('against').

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/contrary (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).