Perverse (L. perversus, turned the wrong way) signifies wilfully wrong or erring, unreasonably set against right, reason, or authority. The stubborn or obstinate person will not do what another desires or requires; the perverse person will do anything contrary to what is desired or required of him. The petulant person frets, but may comply; the perverse individual may be smooth or silent, but is wilfully intractable. Wayward refers to a perverse disregard of morality and duty; froward is practically obsolete; untoward is rarely heard except in certain phrases; as, untoward circumstances. Compare [OBSTINATE].
Antonyms:
| accommodating, | complaisant, | genial, | kind, |
| amenable, | compliant, | governable, | obliging. |
PHYSICAL.
Synonyms:
| bodily, | corporeal, | natural, | tangible, |
| corporal, | material, | sensible, | visible. |
Whatever is composed of or pertains to matter may be termed material; physical (Gr. physis, nature) applies to material things considered as parts of a system or organic whole; hence, we speak of material substances, physical forces, physical laws. Bodily, corporal, and corporeal apply primarily to the human body; bodily and corporal both denote pertaining or relating to the body; corporeal signifies of the nature of or like the body; corporal is now almost wholly restricted to signify applied to or inflicted upon the body; we speak of bodily sufferings, bodily presence, corporal punishment, the corporeal frame.
Antonyms:
| hyperphysical, | intangible, | invisible, | moral, | unreal, |
| immaterial, | intellectual, | mental, | spiritual, | unsubstantial. |