Definition of opponent for English Language Learners. : 1  a person, team, group, etc., that is competing against another in a contest. : 2  a person, group, etc., that is against something (such as an action, law, or system) : someone or something that does not want something to exist, be done, etc.
On the Celtic calendar, the traditional first day of winter is 1 November (Samhain, the Celtic origin of Halloween); spring starts 1 February (Imbolc, the Celtic origin of Groundhog Day); summer begins 1 May (Beltane, the Celtic origin of May Day); the first day of autumn is 1 August (Celtic Lughnasadh).
The official first day of the astronomical winter as mandated my the International Astronomical Union is December 21/22, 2011 (depending on the time zone) for the northern hemisphere and June 21, 2012 for the southern hemisphere.