a. and sb. [ad. Gr. ἀντιθετικός, f. ἀντίθετος: see prec. and -IC.]
A. adj. Of the nature of antithesis: a. Rhet.
1610. Healey, St. Aug., City of God, XI. xviii. 401. Making the worlds course like a faire poeme, more gratious by antithetike figures.
1778. Bp. Lowth, Isaiah (ed. 12), 8. Parallel lines may be reduced to three sorts, parallels synonymous, antithetic, synthetic.
1817. Coleridge, Biogr. Lit., 113. Which, in the antithetic form … of an adage or maxim, I have been accustomed to word thus: ‘Until you understand a writer’s ignorance, presume yourself ignorant of his understanding.’
† b. Opposing, controversial. Obs.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v., In this sense [controversial] we meet with antithetic method, antithetic discourses, &c.
c. Contrasted, directly opposite.
1864. Burton, Scot Abr., I. v. 312. The more blasphemous and brutal the exhibition was, the more was a sort of antithetic holiness attached to it.
d. Consisting of two opposites.
1842. W. Grove, Corr. Phys. For. (ed. 6), 128. The dual or antithetic character of force involved in the term polarity.
B. sb. rare. 1. A direct opposite.
1863. Russell, Diary N. & S., II. 84. The favorite resort of smokers and their antithetics, those who love the pure fresh air.
2. collect. pl. The doctrine of contrasts.
1852. M. Stuart, Comm. Prov., 31. Two libelli, one for antithetics and the other for synthetics.
