| 释义 |
opponent, a. and n.|əˈpəʊnənt|
[ad. L. oppōnent-em, pr. pple. of oppōnĕre: see oppone, oppose v.]
A. adj.
1. Standing over against: opposing, opposite.
1728–46Thomson Spring 665 Her sympathizing lover takes his stand High on th' opponent bank. 1735Somerville Chase iii. 95 Then up th' opponent Hill..we mount aloft. 1871M. Collins Mrq. & Merch. II. vi. 182 They are the opponent poles of a cycle.
2. Antagonistic, adverse, contrary, opposed. Const. to, † against.
1647F. Bland Souldiers March 25 We are to consider enemies as men opponent to peace and justice. 1670Conclave wherein Clement VIII was elected Pope 20 To forgive all them that had been opponent against his Exaltation. 1725Pope Odyss. xix. 524 The savage..springs impetuous with opponent speed! 1730Fielding Temple Beau i. iii, Sir, I desire to deliver my reasons opponent to this match. 1857Ruskin Two Paths iv. 185 The artist, when his pupil is perfect, must see him leave his side that he may declare his distinct, perhaps opponent, skill.
3. Anat. Said of a muscle (opponens) of the hand in man and some quadrumana, which opposes a lateral digit to one of the other digits. Also of the digit itself: cf. opposable 2.
1842Blackw. Mag. LI. 424 The thumb or fifth finger..in the latter..is opponent, or antagonizing. 1857Mayne Expos. Lex., Oppōnens, Anat.,..opponent; applied to muscles, etc.
B. n.
1. One who maintains a contrary argument in a disputation; esp. the person who opens an academical disputation by proposing objections to a philosophical or theological thesis: correlative to respondent. (Cf. oppose v. 2.) Obs. exc. Hist.
1588Fraunce Lawiers Log. ii. ix. 101 b, The opponent who defendeth the contrary. 1670G. H. tr. Hist. Cardinals i. ii. 39 The Father being himself both Opponent and Respondent, there was no answer given to that position. 1705Hearne Collect. 25 Nov. (O.H.S.) I. 98 He..was Prior-Opponent in ye Divinity Schoole, Mr. Entwistle..being respondent. 1846McCulloch Acc. Brit. Empire (1854) II. 351 (Univ. Cambr.), The ‘previous examination’ is followed by the ‘exercises’... These relics of old scholastic fashion consist of Latin theses (generally on subjects of moral philosophy), which are propounded by the student who is candidate for the degree of B.A. (the respondent), and answered by others, styled ‘opponents’, in syllogistic form, in Latin.
2. One who opposes or contends against; one who takes the opposite side in a controversy, struggle, or contest; an antagonist, adversary.
1615Stow's Ann. 833/2 The second day, the foure opponents brought in their complaints. 1645Bp. Hall Peace Maker xxiv. 211 He met with feeble opponents, and such as his nimble wit was easily able to over-turn. 1759Robertson Hist. Scot. v. Wks. 1813 I. 363 The most violent opponents of the king's government were forfeited. 1794Sullivan View Nat. I. 7 He searches about for opponents to his doctrine. 1829Lytton Devereux ii. xi, I had already run my opponent through the sword arm. 1874Green Short Hist. viii. §7. 531 The proposal found stubborn opponents among the moderate Royalists. |