əˈpōz verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: in sense 1, from Middle English opposen, from Middle French opposer; in other senses, from French opposer, from Middle French, modification (influenced by poser to put, place) of Medieval Latin opponere, from Latin, to place against or opposite, to adduce in contradiction (perfect stem oppos- ), from ob- + ponere to put, place — more at position , pose
transitive verb
1. obsolete : to confront with hard or searching questions or objections
2.
a. : to place opposite
uncertain which of two opposed doors he should enter
b.
(1) : to place the ball of (a first digit) against the corresponding part of a second digit of the same hand or foot
some monkeys oppose the great toe as freely as the thumb
(2) : to bring the palmar surfaces of (the forepaws) into contact
various rodents oppose the paws in handling food
3. : to place over against something so as to provide resistance, counterbalance, or contrast
principles that may be opposed to this modern confusion — Irving Babbitt
to oppose one military force to another
diametrically opposed political beliefs
concreteness as opposed to abstraction — L.E.Lynch
4. : to offer resistance to, contend against, or forcefully withstand
oppose the enemy
oppose a congressional bill
opposed every tendency toward nationalism — E.R.Dobson
5. obsolete : to lay (as oneself) open : expose
intransitive verb
: to offer opposition to something
Synonyms: see contest