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Expressing contrariety, opposition, or antithesis; as, an adversative conjunction (but, however, yet, etc. ); an adversative force. -- Ad*ver"sa*tive*ly, adv.

as connective of sentences or clauses of a sentence, in a sense more or less exceptive or adversative; as, the House of Representatives passed the bill, but the Senate dissented; our wants are many, but quite of another kind. Now abideth faith hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. 1 Cor. xii…

Save or except (that); -- an adversative used elliptically with or without that, and properly introducing a single fact or consideration. He might have seemed some secretary or clerk . . . only that his low, flat, unadorned cap . . . indicated that he belonged to the city. Sir W. Scott.

n to introduce a dependent adverbial sentence or clause, having a causal, conditional, or adversative relation to the principal proposition; as, he chose to turn highwayman when he might have continued an honest man; he removed the tree when it was the best in the grounds.