All 4 Uses of
contrary
in
Gone with the Wind
- Ellen ignored all things contrary to her ideas of propriety and tried to teach Scarlett to do the same, but with poor success.†
Chpt 1.4 (definition 1) *
- In spite of all his insults, he did love her and he was just so contrary he didn't want to come out frankly and put it into words, for fear she'd laugh.†
Chpt 3.19 *
- On the contrary!†
Chpt 4.36 (definition 2) *
- Why hadn't she realized that he loved her, for all his taunting remarks to the contrary?†
Chpt 5.62 (definition 3) *
Definitions:
-
(1) (contrary to as in: contrary to) in opposition toeditor's notes: You could also think of this as meaning, despite, or in spite of, or in conflict with; but since a common meaning of contrary is opposite, you many find it easiest to think of contrary to as in opposition to.
-
(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.
-
(3) (to the contrary as in: to the contrary) with an opposite or different effect; or something with an opposite or different effect
-
(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.