per contraadv.n.adj.
/pəː ˈkɒntrə/, U.S. /pər ˈkɔntrə/, /pər ˈkɑntrə/ A. adv.
On the opposite side; on the other hand; (Accounting) on the other side of an account, etc.; as a set-off. Cf. contra n.1 1.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > relationship > contrariety or contrast > [adverb] > on the contrary
thereagaina1023
here-againc1200
here-againsta1250
contra1362
againwardc1384
otherwisea1393
on the contrary (formerly by, for, in, of, to the contrary, in contrary)1393
thereagainsta1400
in the contrairc1400
in opposite?a1425
e conversoc1425
contrariwise1480
again?1531
contrarilyc1540
contrary1549
per contra1554
contrariways1588
contradistinctly1623
by or to the contrair1640
counter1662
oppositely1681
on the reverse1753
e contra1815
obversely1869
the world > relative properties > relationship > equality or equivalence > equality [phrase] > let one thing serve (as a set-off)
to set the hare's head (foot, hare-pie) against the goose-giblet1545
per contra1554
the mind > attention and judgement > testing > debate, disputation, argument > putting forward for discussion > [adverb] > on the other hand
again?1531
per contra1554
on the other hand1581
e contrario1583
conversively1607
oppositely1681
convertibly1692
conversely1806
society > trade and finance > management of money > keeping accounts > account or statement of > [adverb] > as balance on specific side of account
per contra1554
to the bad1802
to the good1819
1554 W. Prat in tr. J. Boemus Discr. Aphrique Ep. sig. A. vv To what prayse with gog..doth the noble man ateyne to? which..preferreth and aduaunceth his pore seruauntes, per contra in how much displeasure with God,..doth he incur in whose seruyce his poore seruantes do not floryshe.
1588 H. Oldcastle & J. Mellis Briefe Instr. Accompts sig. Dvj And when this [sc. Creditor] side or the Debitor side is full written, that you mynde to make it euen with the Debitor syde per contra.
1673 J. Collins Introd. Merchants Accts. sig. B4 Per contra John Speed Creditor. January 7 By Stock for Three Months rebate [etc.].
1750 Ld. Chesterfield Let. 9 July (1932) (modernized text) IV. 1565 When I cast up your account..I rejoice to see the balance so much in your favour; and that the items per contra are so few.
1820 London Mag. Jan. Refer, as per contra, to MacIvor's ideas.
1840 R. H. Barham Some Acct. New Play in Ingoldsby Legends 1st Ser. 307 Per contra, he'd lately endow'd a new Chantry.
1903 R. Fry Let. 16 Mar. (1972) I. 206 The article won't do the magazine much good, but per contra it won't do anyone..any harm.
1988 D. W. Winnicott Human Nature iv. i. 100 If the finest feed goes well, contact is established..Per contra, if the first feeds are mishandled, then a great deal of trouble may be caused.
B. n. (and adj.)
The opposite side (of an argument, account, etc.). Also occasionally as adj.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > relationship > contrariety or contrast > contrariety [phrase] > the opposite side
per contra1751
1751 T. Smollett Peregrine Pickle IV. xcviii. 58 On the per contra side of his account he was debtor for the supply he had received from the receiver-general.
1804 Mrs. E. Merry Let. in Mem. Moore (1856) VIII. 52 Matter arises every instant that you would convert into amusement, but the per contra makes us both bear the deprivation of your society with resignation.
1880 J. Payn Confid. Agent III. 119 There must be something..to the per contra.
1972 Times 11 May (Spain Suppl.) p. iv/3 A similar list..based on deposits less per contra accounts, of world bank groups included two Spanish banks only.
1999 Age (Melbourne) (Nexis) 21 Dec. (Suppl.) 24 When we are forced to remember the..cruelties which have so often plunged the earth in a blood bath, we do well not to forget the per contra.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2005; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
> as lemmas
per contra
per contra, Italian ‘over against, against, opposite’ (Florio), is commonly used in the sense ‘on the opposite side of the account, on the other hand, as a set-off’. See per prep.extracted from contraprep.adv.n.1<
adv.n.adj.1554as lemmas