opposite

op|po|site¹ W2S2 [ˈɔpəzıt US ˈa:p-] prep

1.) especially BrE if one thing or person is opposite another, they are facing each other

▪ The people sitting opposite us looked very familiar.

▪ on the wall opposite the door

see usage note ↑front¹

2.) play/star/appear etc opposite sb

to act with someone in a film, especially as the two main characters

▪ a comedy in which he stars opposite Julia Roberts

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HINT sense 1

Do not say that one thing is 'opposite to' or 'opposite of' another. Say that one thing is opposite another: There's a car park opposite the hotel.

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opposite ²

opposite² adj [only before noun]

[Date: 1300-1400; : French; Origin: Latin, past participle of opponere; OPPOSE]

1.) as different as possible from something else

▪ I thought the medicine would make him sleep, but it had the opposite effect.

at the opposite end of the scale/spectrum

▪ two parties at opposite ends of the political spectrum

▪ At the opposite extreme, Ashworth's style is very simple and modern.

▪ Bob was quicker than Ed? It's usually the opposite way round.

opposite to

▪ a political philosophy that was opposite to everything she believed in

2.) the opposite direction, way etc is directly away from someone or something

▪ She turned and walked off in the opposite direction .

▪ But the sign was pointing the opposite way .

3.) the opposite side, corner, edge etc of something is on the other side of the same area, often facing it

▪ The store was on the opposite side of the street.

▪ the drawing on the opposite page

▪ They work at opposite ends of the country (=a long distance apart) , so only see each other at weekends.

4.) the opposite sex

the other sex. If you are a man, women are the opposite sex

▪ members of the opposite sex

5.) sb's opposite number

someone who has the same job in another similar organization

▪ a meeting with her opposite number at the Department of Health

opposite ³

opposite³ n

1.) a person or thing that is as different as possible from someone or something else

opposite of

▪ What's the opposite of 'optimistic'?

▪ She's quite shy, the exact opposite of Becky.

▪ The two men were complete opposites - Simon tall and fair, Clive short and dark.

▪ If anything, the opposite was true.

▪ Is it sensible to think of masculine/feminine as polar opposites (=exactly or completely opposite) ?

2.) not ... just/quite the opposite

used to say that something is completely different from what has just been said

▪ I didn't feel sleepy at all - just the opposite, in fact.

3.) opposites attract

used to say that often people who have completely different characters become friends or are attracted to each other

opposite ⁴

opposite⁴ adv especially BrE

in a position on the other side of the same area

▪ Hannah lives just opposite.