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Webster 1913 Edition


Opposite

Op′po-site

,
Noun.
1.
One who opposes; an opponent; an antagonist.
[Obs.]
The
opposites
of this day’s strife.
Shakespeare
The virtuous man meets with more
opposites
and opponents than any other.
Landor.

Webster 1828 Edition


Opposite

OP'POSITE

,
Adj.
[L. oppositus.]
1.
Standing or situated in front; facing; as an edifice opposite to the Exchange. Brooklyn lies opposite to New York, or on the opposite side of the river.
2.
Adverse; repugnant.
- Novels, by which the reader is misled into another sort of pleasure opposite to that designed in an epic poem.
3.
Contrary; as words of opposite significations; opposite terms. The medicine had an effect opposite to what was expected.
4.
In botany, growing in pairs, each pair decussated or crossing that above and below it; as opposite leaves or branches.

OP'POSITE

,
Noun.
1.
An opponent; an adversary; an enemy; an antagonist.
2.
That which is opposed or contrary.

Definition 2024


opposite

opposite

English

Alternative forms

Adjective

opposite (not comparable)

  1. Located directly across from something else, or from each other.
    She saw him walking on the opposite side of the road.
  2. (botany) Of leaves and flowers, positioned directly across from each other on a stem.
  3. Facing in the other direction.
    They were moving in opposite directions.
  4. Of either of two complementary or mutually exclusive things.
    He has a lot of success with the opposite sex.
  5. Extremely different; inconsistent; contrary; repugnant; antagonistic.
    • Dryden
      Novels, by which the reader is misled into another sort of pieasure opposite to that which is designed in an epic poem.
    • John Locke
      Particles of speech have divers, and sometimes almost opposite, significations.

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

opposite (plural opposites)

  1. Something opposite or contrary to another.
  2. An opponent.
  3. An antonym.
    "Up" is the opposite of "down".
  4. (mathematics) An additive inverse.

Derived terms

Translations

Adverb

opposite (not comparable)

  1. In an opposite position.
    I was on my seat and she stood opposite.

Translations

Preposition

opposite

  1. Facing, or across from.
    He lives opposite the pub.
    • 1906, Stanley J[ohn] Weyman, chapter I, in Chippinge Borough, New York, N.Y.: McClure, Phillips & Co., OCLC 580270828:
      It was April 22, 1831, and a young man was walking down Whitehall in the direction of Parliament Street. []. He halted opposite the Privy Gardens, and, with his face turned skywards, listened until the sound of the Tower guns smote again on the ear and dispelled his doubts.
  2. In a complementary role to.
    He played opposite Marilyn Monroe.
  3. (television) On another channel at the same time.
    The game show Just Men! aired opposite The Young and the Restless on CBS.

Translations

See also

Statistics

Most common English words before 1923: provided · Rome · twelve · #971: opposite · vast · isn't · board

Latin

Adjective

opposite

  1. vocative masculine singular of oppositus

References

  • opposite in Ramminger, Johann (accessed 16 July 2016) Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, pre-publication website, 2005-2016

Middle French

Adjective

opposite m, f (plural opposites)

  1. opposite (located directly across from something else, or from each other)

Noun

opposite f (plural opposites)

  1. opposite side

References