[a. med.L. contrōversiōn-em, OF. controversion controversy, f. L. contrōvers-us: see CONTROVERSED and -ION. In sense 2 treated as n. of action from controvert.]
† 1. A controversy, a dispute. Obs.
1677. Spottiswood, Hist. Ch. Scot., II. (ed. 4), 47. They … did … work them … to remit the decision of the controversion to King Edward [ed. 1, 1655, has controversie].
1762. H. Brooke, Tryal Rom. Cath., 33. Any Controversion or Doubts that may arise.
2. The action of controverting.
1762. H. Brooke, Tryal Rom. Cath., 55. Depositions … open to the … Cavil and Contraversion of all People.
1846. Worcester, Controversion, act of controverting, dispute, Hooker.
1889. Pall Mall G., 7 Nov., 2/3. Allow me space for a few words in controversion of your statement.
3. A turning in the opposite direction. lit. and fig. (also CONTRAVERSION.)
1684. R. H., Sch. Recreat., 53. Controversion … in Wheeling is performed by the Front of the Squadron, so that whilst the Rank makes the Motion, the File remains.
1860. A. L. Windsor, Ethica, vii. 339. A similar fundamental controversion in ethics seems to have taken place in Greece to that which took place in Italy in Macchiavelli’s time.
