All 7 Uses of
contrary
in
The Death of Ivan Ilych
- Fedor Vasilievich warmly maintained that it was not subject to their jurisdiction, Ivan Egorovich maintained the contrary, while Peter Ivanovich, not having entered into the discussion at the start, took no part in it but looked through the Gazette which had just been handed in.†
Chpt 1 (definition 3)
- Praskovya Fedorovna (a short, fat woman who despite all efforts to the contrary had continued to broaden steadily from her shoulders downwards and who had the same extraordinarily arched eyebrows as the lady who had been standing by the coffin), dressed all in black, her head covered with lace, came out of her own room with some other ladies, conducted them to the room where the dead body lay, and said: "The service will begin immediately."†
Chpt 1 (definition 1) *
- On the contrary, if anything can — I won't say console me, but — distract me, it is seeing to everything concerning him.
Chpt 1 (definition 2)on the contrary = an expression used to intensify denial of an idea
- Ivan Ilych never abused his power; he tried on the contrary to soften its expression, but the consciousness of it and the possibility of softening its effect, supplied the chief interest and attraction of his office.
Chpt 2 (definition 2) *
- He now realized that matrimony — at any rate with Praskovya Fedorovna — was not always conducive to the pleasures and amenities of life, but on the contrary often infringed both comfort and propriety, and that he must therefore entrench himself against such infringement.
Chpt 2 (definition 2)
- And Seshchetitsky [this was the celebrated specialist] said quite the contrary ….†
Chpt 5 (definition 3)
- From the very beginning of his illness ... Ivan Ilych's life had been divided between two contrary and alternating moods:
Chpt 10 (definition 3) *contrary = opposite or alternative
Definitions:
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(1) (to the contrary as in: to the contrary) with an opposite or different effect; or something with an opposite or different effect
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(2) (on the contrary as in: on the contrary) an expression used to intensify denial of an ideaeditor's notes: More rarely, on the contrary is used to oppose an idea contained in what was just said rather than to oppose what was literally said. Here is an example: "I will not pay you for the work. On the contrary, I may sue you for damages." Suing for damages does not oppose not paying, but it does oppose the idea of paying.
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(3) (contrary as in: a contrary idea) different (perhaps opposite or mutually exclusive)editor's notes: In formal logic, contrary propositions or contrary arguments describe two things that cannot both be true. They might be described as mutually exclusive. For example, a pet cannot be both a cat and a dog. It doesn't need to be either, but if it is one, it cannot be the other. So the statement that a pet is a cat and the statement that the same pet is a dog, are contrary statements.