Both Uses
contradict
in
William Wilson
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- In his rivalry he might have been supposed actuated solely by a whimsical desire to thwart, astonish, or mortify myself; although there were times when I could not help observing, with a feeling made up of wonder, abasement, and pique, that he mingled with his injuries, his insults, or his contradictions, a certain most inappropriate, and assuredly most unwelcome affectionateness of manner.†
contradictions = things that disagree with themselves; or (more rarely) acts of disagreeing
- It may seem strange that in spite of the continual anxiety occasioned me by the rivalry of Wilson, and his intolerable spirit of contradiction, I could not bring myself to hate him altogether.†
*contradiction = something (typically a statement) that disagrees with itself; or (more rarely) the act of disagreeing
Definitions:
-
(1)
(contradict) disagreein various senses, including:
- to say something is not true -- as in "She contradicted his testimony."
- to say something else is true when both can't be true -- as in "I don't believe her. She contradicted herself as she told us what happened."
- to be in conflict with -- as in "Her assertions contradict accepted scientific principles."
- (2) (meaning too rare to warrant focus)