# English Vocabulary



## hatman (Feb 17, 2009)

How many words can we come up with that satisfy the following requirement?

Two of the accepted definitions are antonyms. In this case, I'm considering "accepted definitions" to be definitions listed in some abridged or unabridged online dictionary. I'm thinking about any of the online dictionaries that are searched by www.onelook.com


I'll get the ball rolling: 

*Cleave*

1) to cut off; sever: _to cleave a branch from a tree. _

2) to adhere, cling, or stick fast.


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## RoryA (Feb 17, 2009)

Infer.
In spite of my belief that it should not be, an 'accepted' meaning is also to imply.


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## Mark O'Brien (Feb 17, 2009)

Sanction

Definition: (n.) 1. punitive action intended to pressure a country into following international laws; 2. punishment for breaking rules or regulations; 3. official support for something; (v.) to give authority or approval

It used to confuse me when countries imposed "sanctions" on each other.  I used to think, "well that's nice that they're giving each other permission to trade".


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## Joe4 (Feb 17, 2009)

Very slight variation (punctuation), but the one that drives me crazy in the sports world is "resign" and "re-sign" (though I have "re-sign" spelled "resign").

Did my favorite athlete just quit the team or sign a new contract?


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## hatman (Feb 17, 2009)

Joe4 said:


> Very slight variation (punctuation), but the one that drives me crazy in the sports world is "resign" and "re-sign" (though I have "re-sign" spelled "resign").
> 
> Did my favorite athlete just quit the team or sign a new contract?


 
Hmm, while this is certainly a vexing usage problem (much like people who don't know when to use ensure versus insure) niether of those words has two meanings that are opposites.

Rory, I'll give that one to you, even though I think that Dictionary.com does not list to opposing definitions for Infer.  This word DOES play into a funny Wierd Al song.

Mark, I like Sanction.  I hadn't come across that one yet.


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## sous2817 (Feb 17, 2009)

A few more:

Cut (Someone can cut in line or you can cut out of line)
Dust (You can apply and remove dust with the same word)
Root (Like when a seed grows, or to remove a problem)
Trim (Trim a christmas tree or trim your hair)


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## texasalynn (Feb 17, 2009)

and this one
*desert*
To abandon a place
or
A dry arid land


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## Aqiros (Feb 17, 2009)

What you are listing are called Contronyms here is a website with a whole list...

http://www.rinkworks.com/words/contronyms.shtml


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## Greg Truby (Feb 17, 2009)

Aqiros said:


> What you are listing are called Contronyms here is a website with a whole list...
> 
> http://www.rinkworks.com/words/contronyms.shtml


 
Well, I hadn't really thought about it, but after lookin' at that list -- should the doc ever say he's a gonna "fix me right up", I'll be sure to ask fer clarification!


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## Andrew Fergus (Feb 17, 2009)

Much like the line "take care of her" in the movie 'Pulp Fiction':
Jules : "You going to take care of her?" (makes a pistol with his fingers)
Vincent Vega : "No no, take her out on a date."


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## Fazza (Feb 18, 2009)

What about imflammable morphing over recent years into flammable?


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## cornflakegirl (Feb 18, 2009)

I don't think it's recent - I believe the word flammable is about 200 years old (and inflammable about 400 years old). Flammable coming from the same Latin root as flame, and inflammable from the same root as inflame.

It is quite annoying though; like with infer, you sometimes don't know what people actually mean!


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## Patience (Feb 18, 2009)

The whole 'infer' thing.

Lisa Simpson does it best.

Homer: Are you infering that-
Lisa: No. I imply. You infer.


While I haven't thought of any antonyms, or contranyms, I am always pleased by Michael Stipes uses of 'raze' and 'raise' when talking about building a wall and then knocking it down in 'Wrold Leader Pretend.'

World Leader Pretend Lyrics


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## hatman (Feb 18, 2009)

Andrew Fergus said:


> Much like the line "take care of her" in the movie 'Pulp Fiction':
> Jules : "You going to take care of her?" (makes a pistol with his fingers)
> Vincent Vega : "No no, take her out on a date."


 
Hah, hah, I forgot about that one.  Reminds me of a an encounter we had once in a D&D session.  One of our members got creamed in a melee.  Being a world of magic, we brought his corpse along in the hopes of finding a sufficiently high-level magic user in the next town to bring him back to life.  I forget exactly who ended up "helping" us, but when we asked the individual to "Raise our dead friend" he instead "Razed" our dead friend.  



Aqiros said:


> What you are listing are called Contronyms here is a website with a whole list...
> 
> http://www.rinkworks.com/words/contronyms.shtml


 
Cool.  I didn't know they had a name, much less a website.


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## Fazza (Feb 18, 2009)

Thanks, Emma. So I'd have failed the primary/junior school spelling test! I must have learnt the wrong word 'cause it has always been imflammable [sic] to me. Whoops. Cheers, Fazza


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## cornflakegirl (Feb 19, 2009)

Hehe - I thought that was just a typo!

Maybe we should introduce it as a new word, to help clear up the confusion...?


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## xlHammer (Feb 19, 2009)

How about,

*Overlook*

1. to fail to notice, perceive, or consider

2. to look over in inspection, examination, or perusal

_from dictionary.com_


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## SydneyGeek (Feb 23, 2009)

Just for the heck of it, try putting together a sentence with the greatest number of different "ough" pronunications. As a starter:

I thought through the issue of the drought -- it's emptied the trough, so maybe we ought to buy in some water, though it is forecast to rain soon.

Denis


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## absquatulation (Feb 24, 2009)

Well Denis (Sydneygeek),

that sounds like a challenge.....


That rough bough we saw as we passed through Lough Neagh - do you remember, you had hiccoughs - ought to be made into a trough for kneading dough thoroughly.

Farming with the Goughs

In long lazy sweeps, the crow-like chough
Returns to nest across the lough.
The farmer, with asthmatic cough
Walks down the pathway,
Sometimes through a valley,
Where the wind may sough its music,
Over many a bough.
His wife prepares the Sunday dough
While Bert, their son, whose hands are rough
Gets ready to hitch up the plough.


edited, 'cos I cant spel rite......


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## Long Nose (Feb 24, 2009)

I'm surprised Riaz hasn't posted something yet.  Perhaps he's working on a doosie.


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