| opposition | 1. The act of opposing; an attempt to check, restrain, or defeat; resistance. "The counterpoise of so great an opposition." (Shak) "Virtue which breaks through all opposition." (Milton) 2. The state of being placed over against; situation so as to front something else. 3. Repugnance; contrariety of sentiment, interest, or purpose; antipathy. 4. That which opposes; an obstacle; specifically, the aggregate of persons or things opposing; hence, in politics and parliamentary practice, the party opposed to the party in power. 5. <astronomy> The situation of a heavenly body with respect to another when in the part of the heavens directly opposite to it; especially, the position of a planet or satellite when its longitude differs from that of the sun 180 deg; signified by the symbol; as, <Jupiter/ <Sun/, opposition of Jupiter to the sun. 6. <logic> The relation between two propositions when, having the same subject and predicate, they differ in quantity, or in quality, or in both; or between two propositions which have the same matter but a different form. Origin: F, fr. L. Oppositio. See Opposite. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| oppositional disorder | A mental disorder of childhood or adolescence marked by a pattern of disobedient, negativistic, and provocative opposition to authority figures. (05 Mar 2000) |