different between contrary vs erratic
contrary
English
Etymology
From Middle English contrarie, compare French contraire, from Old French contraire, from Latin contr?rius (“opposite, opposed, contrary”), from contr? (“against”).
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /?k?nt???i/, /k?n?t????i/
- (US) IPA(key): /?k?nt???i/
- Rhymes: -???i (some pronunciations)
Adjective
contrary (comparative more contrary, superlative most contrary)
- Opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse.
- Opposed; contradictory; inconsistent.
- 1837, William Whewell, History of the Inductive Sciences
- The doctrine of the earth's motion appeared to be contrary to the sacred Scripture.
- 1837, William Whewell, History of the Inductive Sciences
- Given to opposition; perverse; wayward.
Derived terms
Translations
Adverb
contrary (comparative more contrary, superlative most contrary)
- Contrarily
Noun
contrary (plural contraries)
- The opposite.
- (logic) One of a pair of propositions that cannot both be simultaneously true, though they may both be false.
- 1725, Isaac Watts, Logick, or The Right Use of Reason in the Enquiry After Truth With a Variety of Rules to Guard
- If two universals differ in quality, they are contraries; as, every vine is a tree; no vine is a tree. These can never be both true together; but they may be both false.
- 1725, Isaac Watts, Logick, or The Right Use of Reason in the Enquiry After Truth With a Variety of Rules to Guard
Synonyms
- witherward
Derived terms
- by contraries
- on the contrary
- to the contrary
Related terms
- (logic): subcontrary
- contrarian
Translations
Verb
contrary (third-person singular simple present contraries, present participle contrarying, simple past and past participle contraried)
- (obsolete) To oppose; to frustrate.
- April 19 1549, Hugh Latimer, seventh sermon preached before King Edward VI
- [I was advised] not to contrary the king.
- April 19 1549, Hugh Latimer, seventh sermon preached before King Edward VI
- (obsolete) To impugn.
- (obsolete) To contradict (someone or something).
- (obsolete) To do the opposite of (someone or something).
- (obsolete) To act inconsistently or perversely; to act in opposition to.
- (obsolete) To argue; to debate; to uphold an opposite opinion.
- (obsolete) To be self-contradictory; to become reversed.
Translations
Related terms
- contra
- counter
References
- contrary in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
- contrary in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
- contrary at OneLook Dictionary Search
- John A. Simpson and Edward S. C. Weiner, editors (1989) , “contrary”, in The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Clarendon Press, ?ISBN
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erratic
English
Alternative forms
- erratick, erraticke, erratique (all obsolete)
Etymology
From Latin erraticus; compare Old French erratique.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /???æt?k/
- Rhymes: -æt?k
Adjective
erratic (comparative more erratic, superlative most erratic)
- unsteady, random; prone to unexpected changes; not consistent
- Henry has been getting erratic scores on his tests: 40% last week, but 98% this week.
- Deviating from normal opinions or actions; eccentric; odd.
- erratic conduct
Antonyms
- consistent
Derived terms
- erratical
- erratically
- erraticness
Translations
Noun
erratic (plural erratics)
- (geology) A rock moved from one location to another, usually by a glacier.
- 2003, Bill Bryson, A Short History of Nearly Everything, BCA 2003, p. 372:
- The term for a displaced boulder is an erratic, but in the nineteenth century the expression seemed to apply more often to the theories than to the rocks.
- 2003, Bill Bryson, A Short History of Nearly Everything, BCA 2003, p. 372:
- Anything that has erratic characteristics.
Synonyms
- (glaciers): dropstone
Translations
Anagrams
- Cartier, cartier, cirrate, rice rat
erratic From the web:
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