Adjacent Words

Contravene definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

CONTRAVENE, v.t. [L., to come.] Literally, to come against; to meet. Hence, to oppose, but used in a figurative or moral sense; to oppose in principle or effect; to contradict; to obstruct in operation; to defeat; as, a law may contravene the provisions of the constitution.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: go against, as of rules and laws; "He ran afoul of the law"; "This behavior conflicts with our rules" [syn: conflict, run afoul, infringe, contravene]
2: deny the truth of [syn: contradict, negate, contravene]

Merriam Webster's

transitive verb (-vened; -vening) Etymology: Middle French or Late Latin; Middle French contrevenir, from Late Latin contravenire, from Latin contra- + venire to come — more at come Date: 1567 1. to go or act contrary to ; violate <contravene a law> 2. to oppose in argument ; contradict <contravene a proposition> Synonyms: see deny • contravener noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v.tr. 1 infringe (a law or code of conduct). 2 (of things) conflict with. Derivatives: contravener n. Etymology: LL contravenire (as CONTRA-, venire vent- come)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Contravene Con`tra*vene", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Contravened; p. pr. & vb. n. Contravening.] [LL. contravenire; L. contra + venire to come: cf. F. contrevenir. See Come.] 1. To meet in the way of opposition; to come into conflict with; to oppose; to contradict; to obstruct the operation of; to defeat. So plain a proposition . . . was not likely to be contravened. --Southey. 2. To violate; to nullify; to be inconsistent with; as, to contravene a law. Laws that place the subjects in such a state contravene the first principles of the compact of authority. --Johnson. Syn: To contradict; set aside; nullify; defeat; cross; obstruct; baffle; thwart.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(contravenes, contravening, contravened) To contravene a law or rule means to do something that is forbidden by the law or rule. (FORMAL) The Board has banned the film on the grounds that it contravenes criminal libel laws... = break VERB: V n • contravention (contraventions) The government has lent millions of pounds to debt-ridden banks in contravention of local banking laws. N-VAR: oft in N of n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. a. Oppose, contradict, counteract, countervail, thwart, nullify, abrogate, annul, cross, traverse, obstruct, defeat, hinder, go against, clash with, run counter to, militate against.

Moby Thesaurus

abjure, breach, break, combat, contradict, cross, disaffirm, disclaim, disown, encroach, exclude, fight, gainsay, impugn, infract, infringe, intrude, negate, negative, offend, oppose, overstep, reject, repudiate, resist, spurn, transgress, traverse, trespass