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ty of being crooked; hence, deformity of body or of mind; deviation from moral rectitude; perverseness.

ot accordant with what is wished or expected; interrupting; adverse; contrary; thwarting; perverse. "A cross fortune." Jer. Taylor. The cross and unlucky issue of my design. Glanvill. The article of the resurrection seems to lie marvelously cross to the common experience of mankind. South. We are both love's captives,…

Perverse; untractable; contrary. She was none of your crossgrained, termagant, scolding jades. Arbuthnot.

A perverse fancy; a whim which takes possession of the mind; a conceit. He ruined himself and all that trusted in him by crotchets that he could never explain to any rational man. De Quincey.

To make froward, perverse, or ungovernable. [Obs.] Sir E. Sandys.

Not willing to yield or compIy with what is required or is reasonable; perverse; disobedient; peevish; as, a froward child. A froward man soweth strife. Prov. xvi. 28. A froward retention of custom is as turbulent a thing as innovation. Bacon.

er, ascribe, or attribute. [Obs.] Whence might this distaste arise If [from] neither your perverse and peevish will. To which I most imply it. J. Webster.

state or quality of being incorrigible. The ingratitude, the incorrigibility, the strange perverseness . . . of mankind. Barrow.

With a degree of guilt or folly beyond excuse or justification. Inexcusably obstinate and perverse. Jortin.

A conceited dolt; a perverse blockhead. Jackass bark (Naut.), a three-masted vessel, with only the foremast square-rigged; a barkentine. -- Jackass deer (Zoöl.), the koba. -- Jackass hare, Jackass rabbit (Zoöl.). See Jack rabbit, under 2d Jack, n. -- Jackass penguin (Zoöl.), any species of penguin of the genus Sphen…

In a naughty manner; wickedly; perversely. Shak.

The quality or state of being naughty; perverseness; badness; wickedness. I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart. 1 Sam. xvii. 28.

Mischievous; perverse; froward; guilty of disobedient or improper conduct; as, a naughty child.

their own cause." Milton. -- To harden the neck, to grow obstinate; to be more and more perverse and rebellious. Neh. ix. 17. -- To tread on the neck of, to oppress; to tyrannize over.

A sentiment; an opinion. The extravagant notion they entertain of themselves. Addison. A perverse will easily collects together a system of notions to justify itself in its obliquity. J. H. Newman.

Not straightforward; indirect; obscure; hence, disingenuous; underhand; perverse; sinister. The love we bear our friends... Hath in it certain oblique ends. Drayton. This mode of oblique research, when a more direct one is denied, we find to be the only one in our power. De Quincey. Then would be closed the restless, o…

Crossing in kind or disposition; perverse; adverse; opposing. "Overthwart humor." Clarendon.

In an overthwart manner;across; also, perversely. [Obs.] Peacham.

The state of being overthwart; perverseness. [Obs.] Lord Herbert.

Holding or adhering to any opinion, purpose, or design, with obstinacy; perversely persistent; obstinate; as, pertinacious plotters; a pertinacious beggar.