What does contrary mean in old English?
To oppose or go against. If something is contrary to something else, it is opposed to it. If you say or do something contrary to what you previously stated or did, you are opposing what you previously said or did.
What does the word contrary mean in the old English?
A contrary is something that stands in opposition to something else. The opposite of contrary is consistent. If something is contrary, it means it goes against the grain. A contrary person is one who is obstinate and stubborn. Contrary is also used to describe actions or opinions that are different from those of others.
What does the word contrary mean in old English proverbs?
By contrast, in old English proverbs, contrary is used to describe someone who is stubborn or contrary to reason, or someone who is contrary to the laws of nature. It is also used to describe someone who is an oddball, or a person who stands out from the crowd.
What does the word contrary mean in old English?
The word contrary in early English meant “opposite.” Using contrary to describe someone you disagree with, however, is a relatively modern usage. As the Oxford English Dictionary points out, contrary was used more often with people and their actions or words rather than with beliefs.
What does the word contrary mean in the old English language?
The word contrary in the old English language means opposite or opposite to. The opposite of white is black. The opposite of cold is hot. The opposite of up is down. The opposite of right is left. The opposite of good is bad. The opposite of young is old. The opposite of short is tall. The opposite of straight is curved. The opposite of straight is curved.