1. The act of opposing; an attempt to check, restrain, or defeat; resistance.
The counterpoise of so great an opposition.
Shak.
Virtue which breaks through all opposition.
Milton. 2. The state of being placed over against; situation so as to front something else. Milton.
3. Repugnance; contrariety of sentiment, interest, or purpose; antipathy. Shak.
4. That which opposes; an obstacle; specifically, the aggregate of persons or things opposing; hence, in
politics and parliamentary practice, the party opposed to the party in power.
5. (Astron.) The situation of a heavenly body with respect to another when in the part of the heavens
directly opposite to it; especially, the position of a planet or satellite when its longitude differs from that of
the sun 180°; - - signified by the symbol as, &Jupiter &Sun, opposition of Jupiter to the sun.
6. (Logic) The relation between two propositions when, having the same subject and predicate, they
differ in quantity, or in quality, or in both; or between two propositions which have the same matter but a
different form.
Oppositionist
(Op`po*si"tion*ist), n. One who belongs to the opposition party. Praed.
Oppositipetalous
(Op*pos`i*ti*pet"al*ous) a. [See Opposite, and Petal.] (Bot.) Placed in front of a
petal.
Oppositisepalous
(Op*pos`i*ti*sep"al*ous) a. [See Opposite, and Sepal.] (Bot.) Placed in front of a
sepal.
Oppositive
(Op*pos`i*tive) a. [Cf. F. oppositif. See Opposite.] Capable of being put in opposition.
Bp. Hall.
Oppress
(Op*press") v. t. [imp. & p. p. Oppressed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Oppressing.] [F. oppresser,
LL. oppressare, fr. L. oppressus, p. p. of opprimere; ob (see Ob- ) + premere to press. See Press.]
1. To impose excessive burdens upon; to overload; hence, to treat with unjust rigor or with cruelty. Wyclif.
For thee, oppressèd king, am I cast down.
Shak.
Behold the kings of the earth; how they oppress
Thy chosen !
Milton. 2. To ravish; to violate. [Obs.] Chaucer.
3. To put down; to crush out; to suppress. [Obs.]
The mutiny he there hastes to oppress.
Shak. 4. To produce a sensation of weight in (some part of the body); as, my lungs are oppressed by the
damp air; excess of food oppresses the stomach.
Oppression
(Op*pres"sion) n. [F., fr. L. oppressio.]
1. The act of oppressing, or state of being oppressed.
2. That which oppresses; a hardship or injustice; cruelty; severity; tyranny. "The multitude of oppressions."
Job xxxv. 9.
