antithetic, a. and n.
(æntɪˈθɛtɪk)
[ad. Gr. ἀντιθετικός, f. ἀντίθετος: see prec. and -ic.]
A. adj. Of the nature of antithesis: a. Rhet.
| 1610 Healey St. Aug., City of God xi. xviii. 401 Making the worlds course like a faire poeme, more gratious by antithetike figures. 1778 R. Lowth Isaiah (ed. 12) 8 Parallel lines may be reduced to three sorts, parallels synonymous, antithetic, synthetic. 1817 Coleridge Biogr. Lit. 113 Which, in the antithetic form..of an adage or maxim, I have been accustomed to word thus: ‘Until you understand a writer's ignorance, presume yourself ignorant of his understanding.’ |
† b. Opposing, controversial. Obs.
| 1753 Chambers Cycl. Supp. s.v., In this sense [controversial] we meet with antithetic method, antithetic discourses, etc. |
c. Contrasted, directly opposite.
| 1864 Burton Scot Abr. I. v. 312 The more blasphemous and brutal the exhibition was, the more was a sort of antithetic holiness attached to it. |
d. Consisting of two opposites.
| 1842 W. Grove Corr. Phys. For. (ed. 6) 128 The dual or antithetic character of force involved in the term polarity. |
B. n. rare.
1. A direct opposite.
| 1863 Russell Diary N. & S. II. 84 The favorite resort of smokers and their antithetics, those who love the pure fresh air. |
2. collect. pl. The doctrine of contrasts.
| 1852 M. Stuart Comm. Prov. 31 Two libelli, one for antithetics and the other for synthetics. |