con•trar•y
Pronunciation: (kon'trer-ē for 5 also k&schwan-trâr'ē), [key]
— adj., n., pl. adv., -trar•ies,
—adj.
- opposite in nature or character; diametrically or mutually opposed: contrary to fact; contrary propositions.
- opposite in direction or position: departures in contrary directions.
- being the opposite one of two: I will make the contrary choice.
- unfavorable or adverse.
- perverse; stubbornly opposed or willful.
—n.
- something that is contrary or opposite: to prove the contrary of a statement.
- either of two contrary things.
- a proposition so related to another proposition that both may not be true though both may be false, as with the propositions “All judges are male” and “No judges are male.”
- contrary to expectation.
- On the contrary, there may be some who would agree with you.
- in opposition to what has been stated.
- from another point of view:On the contrary, there may be some who would agree with you.
- I believe he is innocent, whatever they may say to the contrary.
- to the opposite effect:I believe he is innocent, whatever they may say to the contrary.
- to a different effect.
—adv.
- in opposition; oppositely; counter: to act contrary to one's own principles.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.