Obs. Forms: 4–5 contrariouste, 4–6 -tie, 5 contrariosetee, -ite, 6 -itie, -itye. [a. AF. contrariousete (charter of Edw. III. in 1372), ad. med.L. contrāriōsitātem, n. of quality f. contrāriōsus CONTRARIOUS; see -TY. Subseq. assimilated to L. form.] Contrary or antagonistic quality; opposition, antagonism; contrariety.

1

a. 1340.  Hampole, Psalter, xxxvi. 42. Þai are not hurt in þe contrariouste of þe warld.

2

1413.  Lydg., Pilgr. Sowle, IV. xxv. (1483), 71. He fyndeth dyuersite and contrariosite, as hete and cold.

3

a. 1500.  Orol. Sap., in Anglia, X. 140. Whosoeuer in þis manere contrariosetee ouere-comeþ himselfe.

4

1540.  Act 32 Hen. VIII., c. 36 § 1. Ambiguitye, doubt or contrariositye of opinion.

5

[1721.  St. German’s Doctor & Stud., 138. For avoiding of which contrariosity, the Law will suffer no more writs to go forth.]

6

  b.  in pl. Adversities.

7

c. 1425.  trans. T. à Kempis’ Consol., III. xiii. Haunted in diuerse temptacions and preued in many contrarioustes.

8