The phrase "wast contrary to" is spelled as it is pronounced: /wɑst kənˈtrɛri tu/. The word "wast" is an archaic form of "was", and "contrary" means against. Therefore, the phrase means "was against". The spelling of the phrase adheres to standard English phonetics, which is to write words as they sound. While the phrase may not be commonly used in modern language, its spelling follows the conventions of English orthography.