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perverse

Syllabification: (per·verse)
Pronunciation: /pərˈvərs/

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Definition of perverse

adjective

  • (of a person or their actions) showing a deliberate and obstinate desire to behave in a way that is unreasonable or unacceptable, often in spite of the consequences:Kate’s perverse decision not to cooperate
  • contrary to the accepted or expected standard or practice:in two general elections the outcome was quite perverse
  • Law (of a verdict) against the weight of evidence or the direction of the judge on a point of law.
  • sexually perverted.

Derivatives

perversely

adverb
[sentence adverb]:perversely, she felt nearer to tears now than at any other moment in the conversation

perverseness

noun

Origin:

late Middle English (in the sense 'turned away from what is right or good'): from Old French pervers(e), from Latin perversus 'turned around', from the verb pervertere (see pervert)

perverse in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of perverse in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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