contra
contra — preposition
1. in a position or argument that is against something; most often used in the fixe
in a position or argument that is against something; most often used in the fixed pairing 'pro and contra' to present both sides of an issue.
The committee listened carefully to both the pro and contra arguments before voting on the new regulation.
fixed expression: pro and contra
Roya listed the pros and contras of each investment option in a detailed spreadsheet.
modern variant: pros and contras
In a balanced academic essay, the writer must examine both the pro and contra positions on the issue.
The philosopher presented a long list of pro and contra propositions for the students to debate.
- against
the everyday equivalent; much more common in ordinary speech and writing
- pro
the paired opposite in the expression 'pro and contra'
文法句型
contra + noun phrase
pro and contra (fixed expression)
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the paired expression 'pro and contra' (or the Anglicised 'pros and contras'). Rarely used alone in modern English outside formal or academic writing.
常見錯誤
2. used before a noun phrase to introduce a statement that goes directly against a
used before a noun phrase to introduce a statement that goes directly against a particular view, belief, or expectation that someone has stated or assumes to be true.
Contra the CEO's optimistic forecast, the company reported a significant drop in quarterly earnings.
contra + [someone's prediction/expectation]
Ayesha chose to study marine biology, contra her parents' hopes that she would become a doctor.
usage pattern: contra + [someone's] + [noun]
Contra popular belief, most tropical fish in home aquariums are not caught in the wild but bred on farms.
The judge ruled contra the prosecution's argument and dismissed the case for lack of evidence.
- contrary to
the more common and slightly less formal equivalent
- against
everyday alternative; less precise for marking a direct contradiction
- counter to
similar register and meaning; used especially in business and strategy contexts
- in line with
indicates agreement or alignment rather than opposition
- consistent with
formal alternative expressing harmony of views
文法句型
contra + [noun phrase]
用法筆記
A formal preposition; in everyday English, 'contrary to' or 'against' is preferred. Frequently used in legal, academic, and journalistic writing to mark a counter-position.
常見錯誤
3. in music, describing a voice, part, or melody that is placed or moves in opposit
in music, describing a voice, part, or melody that is placed or moves in opposition to another, creating contrapuntal texture.
In the second movement, the cello plays a melody contra the violin's main theme, creating a rich contrapuntal dialogue.
musical usage: contra + [musical part/voice]
Kemi analysed how Bach sets the alto voice contra the soprano line in the fugue's exposition.
The composer marked the passage 'contra' to indicate that the second trumpet should play in opposition to the first.
The choir split in two, one singing the hymn melody and the other a contra part.
文法句型
contra + [noun phrase, typically musical term]
用法筆記
This musical sense is highly specialised and appears almost exclusively in music theory, composition textbooks, and orchestral score markings. Most English learners will never need to use it actively.
contra — noun
1. a fighter from the right-wing rebel army that opposed the left-wing government r
a fighter from the right-wing rebel army that opposed the left-wing government ruling Nicaragua during the 1980s.
The Contras received financial and military support from the United States throughout much of the 1980s.
usually capitalised and used in plural: the Contras
Liam interviewed a former Contra who now works as a farmer in the Nicaraguan countryside.
Constanza wrote her master's thesis on the role of the Contras in shaping US foreign policy toward Central America.
Historians continue to disagree about the long-term impact of the Contra war on Nicaragua's political development.
- Sandinista
the left-wing government forces that the Contras opposed
文法句型
the Contras
a Contra
Contra + [military noun]
用法筆記
Always capitalised when referring to the historical Nicaraguan group. The singular 'Contra' is less common than the plural 'Contras'. In modern contexts, the term may occasionally be used generically for any anti-government guerrilla force, but this is rare and considered informal.