op´po|site|ness

op|po|site «OP uh ziht», adjective, noun, preposition, adverb.

–adj.

1. placed against; as different in direction as can be; face to face or back to back: »

The house straight across the street is opposite to ours.

2. as different as can be; just contrary: »

North and south are opposite directions. Sour is opposite to sweet.

3. Botany. a) situated in pairs on diametrically opposed sides of an axis; not alternate: »

opposite leaves.

b) in front of an organ, coming between it and its axis, as a stamen in front of a sepal or petal.

4. Obsolete. opposed in feeling or action; adverse; inimical: »

a design of strengthening a party opposite to the public interest (Jonathan Swift).

–n.

1. a thing or person as different as can be: »

Black is the opposite of white. A brave person is the opposite of a coward.

2. Obsolete. an antagonist; adversary; opponent: »

By the law of arms thou wast not bound to answer An unknown opposite (Shakespeare).

–prep.

opposite to: »

opposite the church. Wait for me in the building opposite the bank.

–adv.

in an opposite position or direction; on opposite sides: »

to sit opposite.

╂[< Latin oppositus, past participle of oppōnere < ob- against + pōnere place]

–op´po|site|ly, adverb.

–op´po|site|ness, noun.

Synonym Study adjective. 2 Opposite, contrary mean completely different (from each other). Opposite particularly applies to two things so far apart in position, nature, meaning, or other characteristic, that they can never be made to agree: »

“True” and “false” have opposite meanings.

Contrary particularly applies to two things going in opposite directions, or set against each other, often in strong disagreement or conflict: »

Your statement is contrary to the facts.