Contronyms - Self-Antonyms, American English - Page 1

Contronyms are words that:
  1. The word contronym is used to refer to words that, by some freak of language evolution, are their own antonyms. A few English words have such disparate definitions that one meaning is the opposite of another. These are called "contronyms" or "self-antonyms." Examples include:
  2. clip - joining things together (join with a paper clip) or taking them apart (clip coupons from the newspaper)
  3. fast - move quickly (she ran fast) or fix in one spot (it was made fast to the wall)
  4. sanction - to give one's blessing (They wii sanction the marrage) or one's condemnation (the sanction prevented selling weapons)
  1. apology
    An admission of error accompanied by a plea for forgiveness
    A formal defense or justification (as in Plato's Apology)
  2. awful
    Originally used as a term to mean full of awe, even better than awesome
    Now means something exceptionally bad
  3. before
    In advance of ("the future is before us")
    At an earlier time, previously ("our forefathers came before us")
  4. boned
    An adjective describing bones (as in "big-boned")
    An adjective, meaning that bones have been removed (as in a "boned chicken")
  5. bolt
    It can mean to secure
    It can mean to run away
  1. buckle
    To secure, tighten, hold (by fastening with a buckle)
    To collapse as in "to buckle under the strain"
  2. cleave
    To adhere firmly
    To split or separate (as with a cleaver)
  3. clip
    To clasp or fasten with a clip, is from Anglo-Saxon clyppan.
    To cut or cut off (with clippers or scissors) is from Old Norse klippa
  4. confessor
    Normally refers to someone (such as a priest) who hears a confession
    But could also mean one who makes it
  5. consult
    To ask for advice
    To give advice

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