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The quality or state of being perverse; perverseness.

Having a head like a pig; hence, figuratively: stupidity obstinate; perverse; stubborn. B. Jonson. -- Pig"-head`ed*ness, n.

Deterioration; degeneracy; corruption; especially, moral crookedness; moral perversion; perverseness; depravity; as, the pravity of human nature. "The pravity of the will." South.

In a refractory manner; perversely; obstinately.

. Milton. A quicker and rougher remedy. Clarendon. Kind words prevent a good deal of that perverseness which rough and imperious usage often produces. Locke.

. Rowe. They were a senseless, stupid race. Swift. They would repent this their senseless perverseness when it would be too late. Clarendon. --- Sense"less*ly, adv. -- Sense"less*ness, n.

Wrong, as springing from indirection or obliquity; perverse; dishonest; corrupt; as, sinister aims. Nimble and sinister tricks and shifts. Bacon. He scorns to undermine another's interest by any sinister or inferior arts. South. He read in their looks . . . sinister intentions directed particularly toward himself. Sir…

Wrong; absurd; perverse. A knave or fool can do no harm, even by the most sinistrous and absurd choice. Bentley.

In a sinistrous manner; perversely; wrongly; unluckily.

o insist. I stay here on my bond. Shak. Ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon. Isa. xxx. 12.

Willfully obstinate; stubborn; perverse. [Obs.] -- Stom"ach*ful*ly, adv. [Obs.] -- Stom"ach*ful*ness, n. [Obs.]

Inflexible; cruel; unrelenting; pitiless; obdurate; perverse; cold; morally hard; appearing as if petrified; as, a stony heart; a stony gaze. Stony coral. (Zoöl.) Same as Stone coral, under Stone.

Forward; perverse; harsh; sour; rugged. [Obs.] -- Tet"ric*al*ness, n.

Crabbedness; perverseness. [Obs.]

Fig.: Perverse; crossgrained. [Obs.] Shak.

The quality or state of being thwart; obliquity; perverseness.

Crooked; tortuous; hence, perverse; unfair; dishonest. [Slang, U. S.] Bartlett.

Froward; perverse. "Save yourselves from this untoward generation." Acts ii. 40.

Perverse; froward; untoward. "Untowardly tricks and vices." Locke.

Viciousness; depravity. The perverseness and vitiosity of man's will. South.