adv. Also 5–6 contrary wyse, 6–8 contrarywise. [f. CONTRARY a. + -WISE. The pronunciation has followed that of CONTRARY, but at some distance. Johnson gave co·ntrary, but contra·riwise, contra·rily, contra·riness.]
1. On the other hand, on the contrary.
1340. [see CONTRARY a. 2].
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., ccliii. 325. Al Englond shold haue ben ther by enriched, but contrary wyse fil.
a. 1533. Frith, Disput. Purgat. (1829), 128. And contrarywise, if thou forgive him not, then shall not God forgive thee thy great debt.
1605. Bp. Hall, Medit. & Vows, I. § 60. Heaven is compared to an hill … Hell contrariwise to a Pit.
1713. Warder, True Amazons (ed. 2), 14. So contrariwise in a very backward Spring, the Flowers blow late.
1874. F. Hall, in N. Y. Nation, XIX. 425/1. Contrariwise, it is very unsafe to assume anything of the kind.
2. In the opposite way or order; vice versâ.
1570. Billingsley, Euclid, I. iii. 12. The greater may be cut into equall partes, and the lesse into vnequall partes: or contrariwise.
1586. Cogan, Haven Health, ccxv. (1636), 230. First exercise, then meat, and thirdly, drinke, and not contrariwise.
1625. Bacon, Ess. Viciss. Things (Arb.), 573. It hath seldome or neuer been seene, that the farre Southern People haue inuaded the Northern, but contrariwise.
1664. Power, Exp. Philos., I. 11. Of Domestick Spiders there are two sorts; one with longer legs and a little body, and the other contrariwise.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1862), I. xiv. 77. If the mountain … stretches from north to south, the river runs from east to west, and so contrariwise.
1846. Trench, Mirac., Introd. (1862), 42. They … have their worth from Him, not contrariwise, He from them.
3. In contrariety or direct opposition; † antagonistically.
1574. trans. Marlorat’s Apocalips, 26. But he appeereth contrariwise to the vngodly.
1682. Norris, Hierocles, 85. But ’tis not so with the Soul contrariwise disposed.
1845. J. H. Newman, Developm. Chr. Doctr., 68. Contrariwise to other empires, Christians conquer by yielding.
1862. F. Hall, Hindu Philos. Syst., 142. To do contrariwise, or to do less, is sin.
4. In the opposite direction; on opposite sides; in opposite directions.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, II. (Arb.), 111. A line stretching directly from the circle to the center, and contrariwise from the center to the circle.
1655–60. Stanley, Hist. Philos. (1701), 187/2. The outermost Sphear moveth … from East to West, the innermost contrariwise … from West to East.
1715. Leoni, Palladio’s Archit. (1742), I. 85. The Braces … bound contrariwise (that is to say, one in the inner part, and the other in the outer part).
1794. G. Adams, Nat. & Exp. Philos., II. xvi. The object and the image face each other, or look contrariwise.
5. With self-willed opposition, perversely, contrarily.
[1629. Z. Boyd, Grace & Glory, 22. The wicked … go contrariwise.]
1873. Browning, Red Cott. Nt.-cap, 36. As if, contrariwise to all we want And reasonably look to find. Ibid., 171. Something had happened quite contrariwise.
1877. Wraxell, trans. Hugo’s ‘Misérables,’ V. xviii. Owing to the vomitory of the Seine performing its duties contrariwise.
6. quasi-sb. = CONTRA sb.
1588. J. Mellis, Briefe Instr., F v. And the contrariwise of al that you again receiue, of that accompte make the shoppe of retaile Creditor.
