a. [f. L. type *contrāt-us, f. contrā against, opposite: cf. med.L. contrāta = It., Sp. contrada, F. contrée lit. ‘region lying opposite,’ COUNTRY.]
† 1. ? Opposed, contrary, adverse. Obs.
c. 1450. Henryson, Mor. Fab., 41. Of ciuill Law volumes full many they reuolue … Contrate, Prostrat arguments they resolue.
2. Contrate wheel: a wheel having teeth set at right angles to its plane; in watch-making, the wheel of this kind that works in the pinion of the balance or crown-wheel of a vertical watch. Also contrate teeth, contrate pinion.
1696. Derham, Artif. Clockm., 5. The Contrate-Wheel is that Wheel in Pocket-Watches which is next to the Crown-Wheel whose Teeth and Hoop lye contrary to those of other Wheels.
1773. T. Hatton, Clock & Watch-work, 13. After the manner of contrate-wheel teeth.
1795. Herschel, in Phil. Trans., LXXXV. 392. These wheels carry contrate teeth on the inside, and a small dial-plate on the back.
1838. Penny Cycl., XII. 302/2. Vertical Watch—The centre-wheel gives motion to the third wheel pinion, to which is attached the third wheel, acting upon the contrate-wheel pinion, on which is placed the contrate-wheel, acting in the pinion of the balance-wheel, which is also called the scape-wheel.
