[ad. L. antithet-on, a. Gr. ἀντίθετ-ον, neut. of adj. ἀντίθετ-ος placed in opposition: see ANTITHESIS. Long used in Gr. and L. form antitheton, pl. -a (erron. -as).]
† 1. The rhetorical figure of ANTITHESIS. Obs.
1580. North, Plutarch (1676), 702. A figure of Rhetorick called Antitheton: which is, opposition.
1610. Healey, St. Aug., City of God, 422. Contraposition, contention, or Antitheton is diversely used.
2. An instance of antithesis; an antithetic statement.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., VI. iii. (1876), 261. The examples of antithets here laid down.
a. 1661. Holyday, Persius, 297. In smooth antitheta’s his fault he weighs.
1857. Kingsley, Two Y. Ago, III. viii. 244. It is sometimes true, the popular saying, that sunshine comes after storm…. Equally true is the popular antithet, that misfortunes never come single.
† 3. attrib. or adj. Opposed, put forth in opposition.
a. 1733. North, Exam., I. ii. ¶ 154. The antithet Topic used by the Plot-Mongers, when the Vility and Roguery of the Witnesses was made an objection, that only such could be privy to very bad Actions.
