contrarying

Verb

contrary (third-person singular simple present contraries, present participle contrarying, simple past and past participle contraried)

1. (obsolete) To oppose; to frustrate.
   • You that be of the court, & eſpecially ye ſworn chaplains beware of a leſſon that a great man taught me at my firſt coming to the court he told me for a good will, he thoughte it wel. He ſayd vnto me. You muſt beware how ſo euer ye do that ye cõtrary not the king, let him haue his ſaiyngs, folow...1549 April 29 (Gregorian calendar), Hughe Latymer [i.e., Hugh Latimer], Augustine Bernher, compiler, “[27 Sermons Preached by the Ryght Reuerende Father in God and Constant Matir of Iesus Christe...
2. (obsolete) To impugn.
3. (obsolete) To contradict (someone or something).
   • thus wilfully sir Palomydes dyd bataille with yow
     & as for hym sir I was not gretely aferd but I dred fore laūcelot that knew yow not
     Madame said Palomydes ye maye saye what so ye wyll
     I maye not contrary yow but by my knyghthode I knewe not sir Tristram1485, Sir Thomas Malory, chapter LXXVII, in Le Morte Darthur, book X
4. (obsolete) To do the opposite of (someone or something).
5. (obsolete) To act inconsistently or perversely; to act in opposition to.
6. (obsolete) To argue; to debate; to uphold an opposite opinion.

See all 14 meanings of contrary