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One who contends with another, especially in combat; an adversary; an opponent. Antagonist of Heaven's Almigthy King. Milton. Our antagonists in these controversies. Hooker.

Opposing in combat, combating; contending or acting against; as, antagonistic forces. -- An*tag`o*nis"tic*al*ly, adv. They were distinct, adverse, even antagonistic. Milman.

rable ship of a fleet. Like some mighty admiral, dark and terrible, bearing down upon his antagonist with all his canvas straining to the wind, and all his thunders roaring from his broadsides. E. Everett.

Opposed; opposite; adverse; antagonistic. [Archaic] Bp. King.

A denier or opponent of Christ. Specif.: A great antagonist, person or power, expected to precede Christ's second coming.

Antagonistic to one's country or nation, or to a national government.

fication of oxygen, but now known to be hydrogen dioxide; -- so called because apparently antagonistic to ozone, converting it into ordinary oxygen.

A state of being obliged to face an antagonist or a difficulty, when escape has become impossible. Embolden'd by despair, he stood at bay. Dryden. The most terrible evils are just kept at bay by incessant efforts. I. Taylor

efore the wind. -- To bear back, to retreat. "Bearing back from the blows of their sable antagonist." Sir W. Scott. -- To bear down upon (Naut.), to approach from the windward side; as, the fleet bore down upon the enemy. -- To bear in with (Naut.), to run or tend toward; as, a ship bears in with the land. -- To be…

serves to hold fast; a grip; a grasp; a clamp; a holdfast; as, to get a good clinch of an antagonist, or of a weapon; to secure anything by a clinch.

de in the ring to be toed by the combatants in beginning a contest; hence: (b) To meet an antagonist or a difficulty bravely. [Colloq.] -- To come to time. (a) (Prize Fighting) To come forward in order to resume the contest when the interval allowed for rest is over and "time" is called; hence: (b) To keep an appointme…

n antagonist; a contestant. [Obs.] In all notable changes and revolutions the contendents have been still made a prey to the third party. L'Estrange.

Contrary; opposed; antagonistic; inconsistent; contradictory. [R.] The struggles of contrariant factions. Coleridge.

Contrary; opposite; contrasted; opposed; adverse; antagonistic; as, a counter current; a counter revolution; a counter poison; a counter agent; counter fugue. "Innumerable facts attesting the counter principle." I. Taylor. Counter approach (Fort.), a trench or work pushed forward from defensive works to meet the approa…

tle maid, That ever crowed for kisses. Tennyson. To crow over, to exult over a vanquished antagonist. Sennacherib crowing over poor Jerusalem. Bp. Hall.

guard that of his partner, which has been well laid before, or to strike off that of his antagonist. Pennant (Tour in Scotland. 1772). Curling irons, Curling tong, an instrument for curling the hair; -- commonly heated when used.

An argument which presents an antagonist with two or more alternatives, but is equally conclusive against him, whichever alternative he chooses.

Space between two antagonists in fencing. Shak.

rt of an argument on which its conclusiveness depends; that which convinces of refutes an antagonist; a refutation.

One who encounters; an opponent; an antagonist. Atterbury.