topposal

[Eng. oppos (e); al.] The act of opposing; opposition. "The castle-gates opened, fearle of any further opposal."-Sir T. Herbert: Travels , p. 81. õp põşe', *op-os-yn, v. t. & 1. [French opposer, s'opposer, from op (=Latin op = ob )=against, and poser to place.] A. Transitive : over against, and pono to place.] IMG:content-0316.png:[blocks in formation] 3. Different in nature or quality; opposed or antagonistic in nature or character; contrary, inconsistent, repugnant. 4. Being the other of two; different. "Advantages of dre would be too powerful an antagonist for the opposite sex."- Goldsmith : The Bee, No. 2. II. Bot .: Placed on the opposite sides of some other body or thing, and on the same horizontal plane. Used of leaves with respect to the stem, of branches with respect to the trunk, of the embryo with respect to the lateral endosperm, . B. As substantive : 1. One who or that which opposes; an opponent, an adversary, an enemy. "He is, indeed, sir, the most skilful, bloody, and fatal opposite , that you could po ibly have found." --Shakesp .: Twelfth Night , iii. 4. 2. One who or that which is different in nature or quality from another or others; one of two or more 1. To place or set in front or over against; to set contrary or inconsistent things. opposite. "Oppose thy steadfast-gazing eyes to mine." Shakesp.: Henry VI., Pt . II ., iv. 10. IMG:content-0317.png:[blocks in formation] "They were at first opposed to enemies as undisciplined as themselves."-Macaulay: Hist. Eng ., ch. i. 4. To set against; to set or put in opposition, with a view to counterbalance or countervail, and thus to defeat, hinder, prevent, or destroy effects. "He opposes the memorandum as a counterpoise against them all."- Hake will: Apologie, bk. iv., § 7. 5. To resist by physical means, arguments, or otherwise; to act as an opponent to. 6. To withstand; to check; to resist effectually; to combat. IMG:content-0318.png:[blocks in formation] "Opposites complete while contraries exclude one another." Trench: Study of Words, p. 169. To be opposite with : To differ from; to show aversion to. (Shakesp.: Twelfth Night , ii. 5.)