adverse
Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary
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[edit] English
[edit] Etymology
C.1374, from Old French avers (French: adverse), from Latin adversus (“‘turned against’”), past participle of advertere, from ad- (“‘to’”) + vertere (“‘to turn’”). See also versus.
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Adjective
adverse (comparative adverser, superlative adversest)
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- Unfavorable; antagonistic in purpose or effect; hostile; actively opposing one's interests or wishes; contrary to one's welfare; acting against; working in an opposing direction.
- adverse criticism
- Opposed; contrary; opposing one's interests or desire.
- adverse circumstances.
- (not comparable) Opposite; confronting.
- the adverse page
- the adverse party
- Calpe's adverse height / […] must greet my sight
[edit] Usage notes
Adverse is sometimes confused with averse, though the meanings are somewhat different. Adverse most often refers to things, denoting something that is in opposition to someone's interests — something one might refer to as an adversity or adversary — (adverse winds; an attitude adverse to our ideals). Averse usually refers to people, and implies one has a distaste, disinclination, or aversion toward something (a leader averse to war; an investor averse to risk taking). Averse is most often used with "to" in a construction like "I am averse to…". Adverse shows up less often in this type of construction, describing a person instead of a thing, and should carry a meaning of "actively opposed to" rather that "has an aversion to".
[edit] Derived terms
[edit] Related terms
[edit] See also
[edit] Translations
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[edit] Anagrams
[edit] French
[edit] Etymology
From Latin adversus, "against", "opposite".
