wrong-headedadj.
/ˌrɒŋˈhɛdᵻd/, U.S. /ˌrɔŋˈhɛdəd/, /ˌrɑŋˈhɛdəd/ 1. Having a perverse judgement or intellect; persistent or obstinate in erroneous opinion; perversely or obstinately wrong.In frequent use from c1750.
ΘΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > judgement or decision > misjudgement > [adjective] > perverse in judgement
warpedc1460
wrong-headed1732
wronghead1737
1732 G. Berkeley Alciphron II. vi. xxvi. 94 The pious fraud of some wrong-headed Christian.
1751 T. Smollett Peregrine Pickle I. xxiv. 178 The characters of these wrong-headed enthusiasts.
1809 B. H. Malkin tr. A. R. Le Sage Adventures Gil Blas II. vi. i. 420 The most wrong-headed retail dealer in the town.
1847 W. M. Thackeray Vanity Fair (1848) xx. 175 There's no reason she should die or live miserably because you are wrong-headed.
1883 Daily Tel. 10 Nov. 5/1 The furious zeal of wrong-headed bigots.
2. Marked or characterized by perversity of judgement.
ΘΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > judgement or decision > misjudgement > [adjective] > wrong (of judgement)
waywardc1384
crude1611
misreputed1643
misjudged1644
wrong-headed1735
1735 G. Berkeley Querist §436 So long as we entertain a wrongheaded distrust of England.
1753 J. Collier Ess. Art of Tormenting i. iv The wrong-headed anger of her master.
1838 C. Dickens Oliver Twist I. xviii. 292 Wrong-headed and treacherous behaviour.
1848 W. Irving Hist. N.Y. (rev. ed.) iv. i. 203 Carts that went before the horses; weather-cocks that turned against the wind; and other wrong-headed contrivances.
1912 Times 19 Oct. 5/3 Had her Southern Slav policy been less persistently wrong-headed.
Derivatives
wrong-ˈheadedly adv.
ΘΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > judgement or decision > misjudgement > [adverb]
crudely1638
shallowly1694
injudiciously1712
wrong-headedly1737
injudicially1745
misjudgingly1838
the mind > will > decision > obstinacy or stubbornness > [adverb] > perversely
witherc1200
contrariouslyc1380
waywardly1395
frowardlya1400
overthwartlya1425
wrawlyc1440
protervely1447
perverselya1513
thrawnlya1522
perversedlya1525
thrawartly1533
thwartly1558
backwardlya1586
unreclaimablya1616
peevishlya1680
untowardly1682
bloody-mindedly1716
wrong-headedly1737
thrawart-like1768
cross-grained1825
pigheadedly1836
cussedly1868
contrariwise1873
1737 Hervey's Mem. (1848) II. 398 [He] insisted, very wrongheadedly, that he would have his directions in writing.
a1776 S. Johnson in Boswell Life Johnson (1904) I. 30 [The headmaster] was very severe, and wrongheadedly severe.
1866 Athenæum 31 Mar. 427/3 The man..would act very wrongheadedly.
1906 Daily Chron. 23 Aug. 3/1 This was to make, wrong~headedly, a toil of pleasure.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1928; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adj.1732