Per‐verse″ (pẽr‐vẽrs″), a. [L. perversus turned the wrong way, not right, p. p. of pervertereto turn around, to overturn: cf. F. pervers. See Pervert.] 1. Turned aside; hence, specifically, turned away from the right; willfully erring; wicked; perverted.
The only righteous in a world perverse. Milton.
2. Obstinate in the wrong; stubborn; intractable; hence, wayward; vexing; contrary.
To so perverse a sex all grace is vain. Dryden.
Syn. — Froward; untoward; wayward; stubborn; ungovernable; intractable; cross; petulant; vexatious. — Perverse, Froward. One who is froward is capricious, and reluctant to obey. One who is perverse has a settled obstinacy of will, and likes or dislikes by the rule of contradiction to the will of others.