ADVERSARY

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does adversary mean? 

• ADVERSARY (noun)
  The noun ADVERSARY has 1 sense:

1. someone who offers opposition

  Familiarity information: ADVERSARY used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ADVERSARY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Someone who offers opposition

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

adversary; antagonist; opponent; opposer; resister

Hypernyms ("adversary" is a kind of...):

individual; mortal; person; somebody; someone; soul (a human being)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "adversary"):

dueler; duelist; dueller; duellist (a person who fights duels)

enemy; foe; foeman; opposition (an armed adversary (especially a member of an opposing military force))

Luddite (any opponent of technological progress)

withstander (an opponent who resists with force or resolution)

Instance hyponyms:

Antichrist ((Christianity) the adversary of Christ (or Christianity) mentioned in the New Testament; the Antichrist will rule the world until overthrown by the Second Coming of Christ)

 Context examples 

She left me, and I continued some time walking up and down the passages of the house and inspecting every corner that might afford a retreat to my adversary.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

She did not always feel so absolutely satisfied with herself, so entirely convinced that her opinions were right and her adversary's wrong, as Mr. Knightley.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

Would it not be a proud day for knight or squire if he could overthrow seven adversaries in the lists?

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I was tired, at any rate; but had I been as fresh as when I rose, I could see it was in vain for me to contend in speed with such an adversary.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

“Blood for Wilson!” yelled the crowd, and as the smith faced round to follow the movements of his nimble adversary, I saw with a thrill that his chin was crimson and dripping.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Pike, the malingerer, leaped upon the crippled animal, breaking its neck with a quick flash of teeth and a jerk, Buck got a frothing adversary by the throat, and was sprayed with blood when his teeth sank through the jugular.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

I walked through the streets; and, once more seeing my old adversary the butcher—now a constable, with his staff hanging up in the shop—went down to look at the place where I had fought him; and there meditated on Miss Shepherd and the eldest Miss Larkins, and all the idle loves and likings, and dislikings, of that time.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

And therefore I have but two methods to preserve my cow. The first is, to gain over my adversary’s lawyer with a double fee, who will then betray his client by insinuating that he hath justice on his side. The second way is for my lawyer to make my cause appear as unjust as he can, by allowing the cow to belong to my adversary: and this, if it be skilfully done, will certainly bespeak the favour of the bench.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

But revenge kept me alive; I dared not die and leave my adversary in being.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

“Or any other man who ever bent a long-bow,” cried his victorious adversary.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)