— adversely , adv. — adverseness , n.
/ad verrs", ad"verrs/ , adj.
1. unfavorable or antagonistic in purpose or effect: adverse criticism.
2. opposing one's interests or desire: adverse circumstances.
3. being or acting in a contrary direction; opposed or opposing: adverse winds.
4. opposite; confronting: the adverse page.
[ 1350-1400; ME advers adversus hostile (ptp. of advertere ), equiv. to ad- AD- + vert- turn + -tus ptp. suffix, with -tt- > -s- ]
Syn. 1. hostile, inimical, unfriendly. 2. unfavorable; unlucky, unfortunate; disastrous, calamitous, catastrophic. See contrary .
Ant. 1-3. favorable.
Usage . The adjectives ADVERSE and AVERSE are related both etymologically and semantically, each having "opposition" as a central sense. ADVERSE is seldom used of people but rather of effects or events, and it usually conveys a sense of hostility or harmfulness: adverse reviews; adverse winds; adverse trends in the economy. Related nouns are adversity and adversary: Adversities breed bitterness. His adversaries countered his every move.
AVERSE is used of persons and means "feeling opposed or disinclined"; it often occurs idiomatically with a preceding negative to convey the opposite meaning "willing or agreeable," and is not interchangeable with ADVERSE in these contexts: We are not averse to holding another meeting. The related noun is aversion: She has a strong aversion to violence. AVERSE is usually followed by to, in older use occasionally by from.