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     http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/Careful_writers_10_common_words_with_opposite_mean_10005.aspxCareful, writers! 10 common words with opposite meanings  
The English language is full of words with uncommon properties.
There are backronyms, metaplasms, and neologisms. My favorite words of unusual properties are contranyms, or words that are spelled the same, but have two opposite meanings. These words are also known as Janus words, named after the Roman god of gates and doorways and of beginnings and endings. Janus words teach us the importance of context and bring a whole new meaning to the phrase “use it in a sentence.” Here are a few examples: Oversight. It can mean watchful care or an error or mistake. Example: Barry’s oversight of the website led to the oversight in spelling. Cleave. It can mean to join (as in "cleave unto") or to separate or divide. Example: Seeing that the two sentences were cleaved together, I cleaved them with a semicolon. Garnish. It can mean to add something to or take away from. Example: Troy’s use of unnecessary adjectives to garnish his prose led to the decision to garnish his wages. Refrain. It can mean to hold back, restrain, or to repeat. Example: Please refrain from adding a refrain to that poem. Root. It can mean to pull up or to get something to take root. Example: We need to root out your poor writing practices before they take root. Sanction. It can mean to prohibit or to allow. Example: You are hereby sanctioned from writing for any of our sanctioned publications. Weather. It can mean to withstand or to wear away. Example: That weathered, hackneyed phrase has weathered the approval process and will now appear in the press release. Bolt. It can mean to run away or to secure. Example: Bolt the door to your office or someone may bolt with your laptop. Trim. It can mean to remove from or to add to. Example: Trim that jargon from your press release so you can trim it with action verbs and meaningful descriptors. Resign. It can mean to give up, quit, or sign on again. Example: Use a hyphen if you want to re-sign, otherwise you might resign by mistake. Readers, any others to add to the list? Laura Hale Brockway writes about writing and edits about editing at Impertinent Remarks.
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PRDaily.com moderates comments and reserves the right to remove posts that are abusive or otherwise inappropriate. Comments (34)
Ravel can also mean unravel. Dust can mean the stuff or removal of it.
Ah we are but a hop and a step away from our favourite English English vs American English usages. We say to table an agenda item and that means bring it to the meeting for discussion. Whereas I was informed by a Texan that it's the contrary meaning in the U.S. (for your version of "table" we use "shelve")
But I digress
"Apart" verus "a part" is another oldie but goodie of opposite meanings. Apart means separate from and "a part" means literally a part of something.
biweekly - occurring every two weeks OR occurring twice a week.
bimonthly - occuring every two months OR occurring twice a month. Confusing!
To add a little more garnish to this salad of verbiage, the use of "garnish" to describe withholding wages, etc., is incorrect. The correct term is "garnishee" (see AP Stylebook). "If you continue to cost us money by putting too many garnishes on our dishes, we will have to garnishee your wages to make up the difference."
How about "hitch"?
You can say "the couple got hitched"--meaning they married. Conversely, you can say "the wedding ceremony went off without a hitch" meaning...what, exactly? Did they or didn't they get married? Great column as always, Laura!
. . . And here's an anti-contranym: flammable and inflammable - look like antonyms but both means the same thing, as in "unfortunately my pyjama top is flammable, but luckily my pyjama bottoms are . . . errr . . inflammable. . . . Oh wait!"
There is a legal definition of garnish, too, having to do with summoning or serving someone notice, which may be where the garnishee (also a legal term but specific to money) confusion began ...
Isn't the English language wonderful? And somehow, I bet we all know exactly what the speaker means when hearing this in normal speech.
affair - public and proper vs illicit. Government affairs are disrupted if the press learns the governor has been having affairs.
Laura, don't forget "fuse" - meaning to "join together" or "melt together" and conversely to "break open" or "melt apart" the conductor in an electrical circuit.
Great post...and comments. I guess only "wordies" like us love, and laugh at, these. Thanks for a fun and thought-provoking read.
This is a fun post. Thank you. I'll mind my daily use of the word "cleave." :^)
These aren't identical, but are similar enough to be confusing: founder and flounder.
I once had five Ph.D.s (in education!) edit my correct use of "founder" (to sink) in a speech. To a one, they all replaced it with "flounder" (to struggle). One may sink without a struggle, or struggle without sinking. Still, if Ph.D.s didn't know what I meant, clearly I was not communicating. My hubris gra-a-a-a-adually gave way to humility.
It is marvelous to see you Americans labour over your command of English. And spelling.
How about "invaluable" as a counterintuitive word? If "valuable" means something is important or it has a high worth, wouldn't "invaluable' mean worthless, rather than extremely valuable?
Don't forget "seeded," which means "containing seeds," "seeds removed," and "planted seeds."
Not quite one of these but I like 'raise' and 'raze'
"We raised a fence only to have it razed by the bulldozer". |
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