adv., prep. (sb.) [L. contrā adv. and prep.; in its origin the ablative case fem. of an obs. adj. stem *cont(e)r- a comparative from com, con, prep.: cf. citrā, extrā, intrā, ultrā, and Eng. af-ter. For the sense cf. OE. wið with, against, wiðer- against, equivalent to contra- in composition, as in wiðer-sæcʓan = contrā-dīcere. From philosophical and legal language, the L. word has passed into a restricted English use.]
A. prep. 1. Against. Chiefly in the phrase pro and contra (now generally abbreviated to con), ‘for and against’ (the motion, proposal, etc.).
c. 1450. Henryson, Mor. Fab., Tale of Dog, 73. Contra and pro, strait argumentis thay resolve.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., ccliii.* 327. A grete altercacyon among wryters of this mater pro and contra.
1560. Rolland, Crt. Venus, IV. 20. In questionis baith in Contra and Pro.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., I. vii. § 15. See the subtilties of Aristotle, to take a matter both wayes, Pro and Contra, etc.
b. In this sense it is often elliptically taken as a sb., and may have a plural.
1563–87. Foxe, A. & M. (1684), III. 210. After much Pro and Contra, they all consented.
a. 1613. Overbury, A Wife (1638), 125. His whole life is spent in Pro and contra.
1635. Heywood, Hierarch., VI. 351. And Pro’s and Contra’s, not to be refuted.
1884. Athenæum, 23 Aug., 230/2. He weighs carefully the pros and the contras.
† 2. Against. Sc. Obs.
1640–1. Kirkcudbr. War-Comm. Min. Bk. (1855), 92. For doeing of executione contra onie persone quhatsumever.
B. adv. On the contrary, to the contrary, contrariwise.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. IX. 16. ‘Contra,’ quod I as a Clerk.
1818. Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), VI. 70. If inserted it did not conclude, but it might be proved contra, and the verdict might find it contra.
† b. as adj. Contrary. Obs.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., I. 374. Contra tyde rynnand fra land to land.
C. sb.
1. The contrary or opposite; in Book-keeping, the opposite side or column of an account; esp. the right-hand or credit side, in which the liabilities of the trader appear. Also transf.
Per contra, It. ‘over against, against, opposite’ (Florio), is commonly used in the sense ‘on the opposite side of the account, on the other hand, as a set-off.’ See PER.
1648. Hamilton Papers (Camden), 176. He is satisfied and laboures the contra.
1849. Sk. Nat. Hist., Mammalia, IV. 82. The European beaver … displays the same manners and building propensities as its transatlantic brethren; and per contra, the thinly scattered beavers, near the settlements in America are solitary animals, dwelling in burrows like the scattered few along the Rhone.
1891. Mod. Commercial Usage. We enclose acct. sale of wool, for the nett proceeds of which we credit you £ … and, per contra, we debit you with the amount of your draft for £ ….
2. A thing that is against another; a crossing vein in a mine.
1778. W. Pryce, Min. Cornub., 105. All veins crossing each other, may be termed Contras in respect of each other.
b. Hence as vb.
1778. W. Pryce, Min. Cornub., 318. When two Lodes run across, the one, or either of them with respect to the other, is called a Caunter, or Contra, for they run caunting, or contra-ing each other.
