adv. phr. Also vice versâ. [L. (also versā vice), from vice, abl. sing. of vicis turn, place, position, etc., and versā, abl. sing. fem. of versus, pa. pple. of vertĕre to turn. So F. vice versâ, Sp., Pg., It. vice versa, viceversa.] With a reversal or transposition of the main items in the statement just made; contrariwise, conversely.
1601. A. Copley, Answ. Let. Jesuited Gent., 23. They are like to bee put to such a penance and the Arch-Priests vice-versa to be suspended and attainted as Schismaticall.
1665. Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (1677), 335. When it rains and blows … all along the Coast of Malabar … no Sun appears: contrarily … those Countreys on that side Bellagate have then clear Sun-shine weather…. And vice versa, the season varies.
1689. Prior, Epist. to F. Shephard, 60. The Thesis, vice-versâ put, Should Hebrew-wise be understood.
1710. Palmer, Proverbs, 78. Nor can we ask his favour upon occasion, and so vice versa he can make no use of us.
1772. Regul. H.M. Service at Sea, 21. The Number of the first Entry is to be noted against the Number of the Re-entry, and vice versa, the Number of the Re-entry against the Number of the first Entry.
1803. Med. Jrnl., X. 524. It may probably happen that those who have the disorder mildly are considered only to have a common cold; and, vice versa, a heavy accidental catarrh may rank as influenza.
1830. R. Knox, Béclard’s Anat., 315. So that each portion of muscle is single at one extremity, and at the other is continuous with two portions; and vice versa, each of the latter is connected with a double portion of the opposite extremity.
b. Freq. in and († so) vice versa, or vice versa, used to imply the complementary statement without expressing it in words.
1642. Howell, For. Trav., ix. (Arb.), 47. The yeaue of the Conquering of France [by Spain], is the morning of the Conquest of England (and vice versa).
1677. Plot, Oxfordsh., 246. For Clay ground they have their seed from Red-land or Chalk, & vice versa.
1688. Boyle, Final Causes Nat. Things, IV. 227. Not Anatomical but Chymical, or Vice Versa.
1761. Stiles, in Phil. Trans., LV. 255. These separated parts … stretching or contracting themselves from round to oval and cylindrical, and vice versa.
1787. Best, Angling (ed. 2), 42. The larger be [the pike] is, the coarser the food, and so vice versa.
1835. W. R. Hamilton, trans. Süvern’s Ess. Birds of Aristoph., 101. Flying is compared to rowing and sailing, and vice versa.
1854. Poultry Chron., I. 313/2. The young birds are sent packed in the old class hamper, or, vice versâ.
1885. Leudesdorf, Cremona’s Proj. Geom., 122. Consequently the tangents at four harmonic points are harmonic, and vice versa.
