The Collaborative International Dictionary
Contrary \Con"tra*ry\ (? or ?; 48), a. [OE. contrarie, contraire, F. contraire, fr. L. contrarius, fr. contra. See Contra-.]
-
Opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse; as, contrary winds.
And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me.
--Lev. xxvi. 21.We have lost our labor; they are gone a contrary way.
--Shak. -
Opposed; contradictory; repugnant; inconsistent.
Fame, if not double-faced, is double mouthed, And with contrary blast proclaims most deeds.
--Milton.The doctrine of the earth's motion appeared to be contrary to the sacred Scripture.
--Whewell. Given to opposition; perverse; forward; wayward; as, a contrary disposition; a contrary child.
-
(Logic) Affirming the opposite; so opposed as to destroy each other; as, contrary propositions.
Contrary motion (Mus.), the progression of parts in opposite directions, one ascending, the other descending.
Syn: Adverse; repugnant; hostile; inimical; discordant; inconsistent.
Usage examples of "contrary motion".
They began to ascend again, while the comet, which had long since passed its zenith, made the contrary motion.
The rise of her blood as their eyes met was succeeded by a contrary motion, a wave of resistance and withdrawal.
Sergents de ville kept those two interminable parallel files on the lower sides of the boulevard moving with a contrary motion, and watched, so that nothing should hinder their double current, over those two streams of carriages flowing, the one down, the other up, the one towards the Chaussé.
England was alive, throbbing through all her estuaries, crying for joy through the mouths of all her gulls, and the north wind, with contrary motion, blew stronger against her rising seas.