contrariwise, adv.
Also 5–6 contrary wyse, 6–8 contrarywise.
[f. contrary a. + -wise. The pronunciation has followed that of contrary, but at some distance. Johnson gave ˈcontrary, but conˈtrariwise, conˈtrarily, conˈtrariness; Walker, 1791, while altering the last two, retained (kɒnˈtrærɪwaɪz); this, and (kɒnˈtrɛərɪwaɪz) (Craig 1847) were (a 1893) still frequent (so in Browning), though (ˈkɒntrərɪwaɪz) was given by current dictionaries, from Smart, 1846, and was then prob. the most frequent.]
1. On the other hand, on the contrary.
| 1340 [see contrary a. 2]. 1480 Caxton Chron. Eng. ccliii. 325 Al Englond shold haue ben ther by enriched, but contrary wyse fil. a 1533 Frith Disput. Purgat. (1829) 128 And contrarywise, if thou forgive him not, then shall not God forgive thee thy great debt. 1605 Bp. Hall Medit. & Vows i. §60 Heaven is compared to an hill..Hell contrariwise to a Pit. 1713 J. Warder True Amazons (ed. 2) 14 So contrariwise in a very backward Spring, the Flowers blow late. 1874 F. Hall in N.Y. Nation XIX. 425/1 Contrariwise, it is very unsafe to assume anything of the kind. |
2. In the opposite way or order; vice versâ.
| 1570 Billingsley Euclid i. iii. 12 The greater may be cut into equall partes, and the lesse into vnequall partes: or contrariwise. 1586 Cogan Haven Health ccxv. (1636) 230 First exercise, then meat, and thirdly, drinke, and not contrariwise. 1625 Bacon Ess. Viciss. Things (Arb.) 573 It hath seldome or neuer been seene, that the farre Southern People haue inuaded the Northern, but contrariwise. 1664 Power Exp. Philos. i. 11 Of Domestick Spiders there are two sorts; one with longer legs and a little body, and the other contrariwise. 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1862) I. xiv. 77 If the mountain..stretches from north to south, the river runs from east to west; and so contrariwise. 1846 Trench Mirac. Introd. (1862) 42 They..have their worth from Him, not contrariwise, He from them. |
3. In contrariety or direct opposition; † antagonistically.
| 1574 tr. Marlorat's Apocalips 26 But he appeereth contrariwise to the vngodly. 1682 Norris Hierocles 85 But 'tis not so with the Soul contrariwise disposed. 1845 J. H. Newman Developm. Chr. Doctr. 68 Contrariwise to other empires, Christians conquer by yielding. 1862 F. Hall Hindu Philos. Syst. 142 To do contrariwise, or to do less, is sin. |
4. In the opposite direction; on opposite sides; in opposite directions.
| 1589 Puttenham Eng. Poesie ii. (Arb.) 111 A line stretching directly from the circle to the center, and contrariwise from the center to the circle. 1655–60 Stanley Hist. Philos. (1701) 187/2 The outermost Sphear moveth..from East to West, the innermost contrariwise..from West to East. 1715 Leoni Palladio's Archit. (1742) I. 85 The Braces..bound contrariwise (that is to say, one in the inner part, and the other in the outer part). 1794 G. Adams Nat. & Exp. Philos. II. xvi, The object and the image face each other, or look contrariwise. |
5. With self-willed opposition, perversely, contrarily.
| [1629 Z. Boyd Grace & Glory 22 The wicked..go contrariwise.] 1873 Browning Red Cotton Night-Cap Country 36 As if, contrariwise to all we want And reasonably look to find. Ibid. 171 Something had happened quite contrariwise. 1877 F. C. L. Wraxall tr. Hugo's ‘Misérables’ v. xviii, Owing to the vomitory of the Seine performing its duties contrariwise. |
6. quasi-n. = contra n.
| 1588 J. Mellis Briefe Instr. F v, And the contrariwise of al that you again receiue, of that accompte make the shoppe of retaile Creditor. |