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The Collaborative International Dictionary
Inimical

Inimical \In*im"i*cal\ (?; 277), a. [L. inimicalis, fr. inimicus unfriendly, hostile; pref. in- not + amicus friendly. See Amity.]

  1. Having the disposition or temper of an enemy; unfriendly; unfavorable; -- chiefly applied to private, as hostile is to public, enmity.

  2. Opposed in tendency, influence, or effects; antagonistic; inconsistent; incompatible; adverse; repugnant.

    We are at war with a system, which, by its essence, is inimical to all other governments.
    --Burke.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
inimical

1640s, from Late Latin inimicalis "hostile," from Latin inimicus "unfriendly, an enemy" (see enemy).

Wiktionary
inimical

a. 1 harmful in effect. 2 unfriendly, hostile.

WordNet
inimical

adj. not friendly; "an unfriendly act of aggression"; "an inimical critic" [syn: unfriendly]

Usage examples of "inimical".

Congressional legislation, thus affords some protection from state legislation inimical to the national commerce, and that in such cases, where Congress has not acted, this Court, and not the state legislature, is under the commerce clause the final arbiter of the competing demands of state and national interests.

On the other hand, it will not only refuse to recognize a union whose rules and methods are inimical to the public economic interest, but it will aggressively and relentlessly fight such unions.

The Boche was not very inimical here, and seemed anxious to lull us into a feeling of peace and security so that, I suppose, he could get safely on with his digging, for he had still a good deal to do.

But after the uses of vril became familiar to us, all creatures inimical to us were soon annihilated.

SPIRIT OF RUMOUR It so befalls that as their chargers near The inimical wall of flesh with its iron frise, A treacherous chasm uptrips them: zealous men And docile horses roll to dismal death And horrid mutilation.

But the Houyhnhnms have a significant and inimical Other, in this case an internal one.

To have Sarissa, whom he had thought irreversibly inimical to him, holding him with such single-mindedness, was to him in the nature of a prodigy.

It is possible to imagine nuclear synergisms multiplying into eternity, popping and crackling away, inimical to life even when there is nothing left to be inimical to.

This claim was disregarded by the council of regency, and the Bundesrat declared that the accession of the duke of Cumberland would be inimical to the peace and security of the empire on account of his attitude towards Prussia.

While inimical stares from the councilmen sharpened around the table, and the Mayor of Isaer whispered something to a servant that brought guardsmen in full mail to block the doorway, Lord Diegan groped to draw the hidden dagger in his sleeve.

Provided he could survive the harsh climate, difficult terrain, and unknown inimical life-forms that might inhabit this underpopulated, out-of-the-way speck of grit.

Gerald and Hermione were always strangely but politely and evenly inimical.

In other words, by the time the climate would have permitted our reemergence, the biosphere was antigenically inimical to us.

If this place is aspected, it's likely an inimical one to a Wickan warlock.

His affairs are in a desperate way, I am afraid: no hope of a living, none of a naval chaplaincy since his unfortunate pamphlet, and an inimical father-in-law.