Princeton's WordNet(2.80 / 5 votes)Rate this definition:

1. resistance, opposition(noun)

   the action of opposing something that you disapprove or disagree with

   "he encountered a general feeling of resistance from many citizens"; "despite opposition from the newspapers he went ahead"

2. opposition, oppositeness(noun)

   the relation between opposed entities

3. confrontation, opposition(noun)

   the act of hostile groups opposing each other

   "the government was not ready for a confrontation with the unions"; "the invaders encountered stiff opposition"

4. opposition, opponent, opposite(noun)

   a contestant that you are matched against

5. opposition(noun)

   a body of people united in opposing something

6. opposition(noun)

   a direction opposite to another

7. enemy, foe, foeman, opposition(noun)

   an armed adversary (especially a member of an opposing military force)

   "a soldier must be prepared to kill his enemies"

8. Opposition(noun)

   the major political party opposed to the party in office and prepared to replace it if elected

   "Her Majesty's loyal opposition"

Wiktionary(4.00 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. opposition(Noun)

   The action of opposing or of being in conflict.

2. opposition(Noun)

   An opposite or contrasting position.

3. opposition(Noun)

   An opponent in some form of competition.

4. opposition(Noun)

   The apparent relative position of two celestial bodies when one is at an angle of 180 degrees from the other as seen from the Earth.

5. opposition(Noun)

   A political party opposed to the party or government in power.

6. opposition(Noun)

   In United States intellectual property law, a proceeding in which an interested party seeks to prevent the registration of a trademark or patent.

7. opposition(Noun)

   A position in which the player on the move must yield with his king allowing his opponent to advance with his own king.

Origin: From oposicion (whence opposition), from oppositio (translating Greek ἀντίθεσις), from the past participle stem of classical opponere.

Freebase(2.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Opposition

   Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning the administration or the cabinet rather than the state. The title of "Official Opposition" usually goes to the largest of the parties sitting in opposition with its leader being given the title "Leader of the Opposition". In First Past the Post assemblies, where the tendency to gravitate into two major parties or party groupings operates strongly, government and opposition roles can go to the two main groupings serially in alternation. In this context, the opposition forms a recognised, even semi-official "government-in-waiting". Its "opposing" can degenerate into a charade pending the eventual exchange of roles and occupation, or reoccupation, of the Treasury benches. The more proportional a representative system, the greater the likelihood of multiple political parties appearing in the parliamentary debating chamber. Such systems can foster multiple "opposition" parties which may have little in common and minimal desire to form a united bloc opposed to the government of the day.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Opposition

   op-ō-zish′un, n. state of being placed over against: position over against: repugnance: contrariety: contrast: act or action of opposing: resistance: that which opposes: obstacle: (logic) a difference of quantity or quality between two propositions having the same subject and predicate: the party that opposes the ministry or existing administration: (astron.) the situation of heavenly bodies when 180 degrees apart.—n. Opposi′tionist, one who belongs to an opposing party, esp. that opposed to the government. [Opposite.]

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. opposition

   A politician who is a member or leader of a political party elected to Parliament by the electorate and whose role is to reflect and represent the views of their electorate and constituency, contribute to the creation of law and legislation, use evidence and facts and figures to inform policy making and debate, question the government in power and hold them to account for their policies, choices and decisions. Some have a role to perform some governmental committee duties.

   The opposition in Parliament were effective in their questioning and presentation of current facts and figures to debate current changes to government policy and proposed changes to current law and legislation.

2. opposition

   An independent politician elected to Parliament by the electorate and whose role is to reflect and represent the views of their electorate and constituency, contribute to the creation of law and legislation, use data, evidence and facts and figures to inform law, legislation, policy making and debate, question the government in power and hold them to account for their policies, choices and decisions. Some have a role to perform some governmental committee duties.

   The opposition Independent candidates who were elected performed their role and responsibility to the electorate that elected them easily and effectively.

3. opposition

   A member or leader of a political party or an independent politician who seeks to participate in an election and get elected to a government or parliament and will reflect the choice and will of the people they represent.

   The opposition in various countries agreed to sit and discuss their collective aspirations, goals and the will of the people they represent to ensure the peace agreement is signed and reflects the will of the people they represent.

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'opposition' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #1072

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'opposition' in Written Corpus Frequency: #2919

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'opposition' in Nouns Frequency: #496

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of opposition in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of opposition in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Sample Sentences & Example Usage

1. William Blake:

   Opposition is true friendship.

2. California Governor Jerry Brown:

   Everything big runs into opposition.

3. Frederick II of Prussia:

   I love opposition that has convictions.

4. Aykan Erdemir:

   The opposition had a chance and they blew it.

5. Nomura Securities:

   The weight of any opposition vote is now heavier.

Images & Illustrations of opposition