Anna Karenina vocabulary

As one wag put it, Congress “may declare every thing, but do nothing.” By 1787, the Confederation was in shambles. Various states failed to honor requisitions, enacted laws violating duly ratified treaties, waged unauthorized local wars against Indian tribes, and maintained standing armies without congressional permission— all in plain contravention of the Articles.

Akhil Reed Amar. America's Constitution: A Biography (2005)

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that department explain why it had, as appeared from the evidence before the committee, from No. 17,015 and 18,038, from December 5, 1863, and June 7, 1864, acted in direct contravention of the intent of the law T…Act 18, and the note to Act 36

Leo Tolstoy. Anna Karenina.

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Bill Zellinger: I just got an informal report that a member of you team, Walter Sobchak, drew a firearm during league play. If this is true, of course it contravenes a number of the league's by-laws [...].

Joel and Ethan Coen. The Big Lebowski (1998)