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/ˈædvərsˌɛri/ Listen

noun

Adversary n. (pl. adversaries) One who is turned against another or others with a design to oppose or resist them; a member of an opposing or hostile party; an opponent; an antagonist; an enemy; a foe. "His ancient knot of dangerous adversaries." "Agree with thine adversary quickly." "It may be thought that to vindicate the permanency of truth is to dispute without an adversary."

The Adversary, The Satan, or the Devil.

Synonyms: Adversary, Enemy, Opponent, Antagonist. Enemy is the only one of these words which necessarily implies a state of personal hostility. Men may be adversaries, antagonists, or opponents to each other in certain respects, and yet have no feelings of general animosity. An adversary may be simply one who is placed for a time in a hostile position, as in a lawsuit, an argument, in chess playing, or at fence. An opponent is one who is ranged against another (perhaps passively) on the opposing side; as a political opponent, an opponent in debate. An antagonist is one who struggles against another with active effort, either in a literal fight or in verbal debate.

adjective

Adversary adj.

Opposed; opposite; adverse; antagonistic. (Archaic)

(Law) Having an opposing party; not unopposed; as, an adversary suit.

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Etymology of 'Adversary'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Adversary" Quotes from Famous Books

... tidings of his fate would have been pleasurable to her rather than otherwise. But when she saw such cards thrown away as he had held in his hand, she encountered that sort of suffering which a good player feels when he sits behind the chair of one who plays up to his adversary's trump, and makes no tricks of his ...

— The Claverings • Anthony Trollope

... contrary, went perfectly white. He seemed to settle back on his heels and from there almost to fly at his insulter. Five minutes or so later they were both dusty and dirty and dishevelled and bruised, but Sam was pretty thoroughly licked. For one thing, he had been taken by surprise by his adversary's quickness; for another, Albert's compulsory training in athletics at school gave him an advantage. He was by no means an unscarred victor, but victor he was. Sam was defeated, and very much astonished. He leaned against the cranberry house and held on to his ...

— The Portygee • Joseph Crosby Lincoln

... with a double, which was rather a pity, and then gave our masculine adversary what is technically called "one to kill." I saw instinctively that I was the one, and I held my racket ready with both hands. Our opponent, who had been wanting his tea for the last two games, was in no mood of dalliance; ...

— The Holiday Round • A. A. Milne

... horns and tail of the devil!—Again, as to the other work, Burke's Reflections, I took a particular pride and pleasure in it, and read it to myself and others for months afterwards. I had reason for my prejudice in favour of this author. To understand an adversary is some praise: to admire him is more. I thought I did both: I knew I did one. From the first time I ever cast my eyes on anything of Burke's (which was an extract from his Letter to a Noble Lord in a three-times a week paper, The St. James's Chronicle, in 1796), I said to myself, ...

— Hazlitt on English Literature - An Introduction to the Appreciation of Literature • Jacob Zeitlin

... last) round. —The soldier did "Come on," frowning. Jones received him, smiling. —The soldier made play with his musket: Jones put in his left. They closed, and a terrific struggle ensued, in the course of which Jones got his adversary's "Nob" ...

— The Foreign Tour of Messrs. Brown, Jones and Robinson • Richard Doyle

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