Guest Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 I am thinking of a word that has two opposite definitions. I know of one, and I wonder if anybody else knows another. The one I am thinking of is found in the Bible in the book of Genesis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 well inflammable sounds like one, although it is not. The only other one i can think of is cleave... which means to separate and to join together.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 That's the one I had in mind. Genesis 2:24--Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And then a meat cleaver is used to cleave or separate meat. Good job. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cleave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted January 14, 2008 Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 I am thinking of a word that has two opposite definitions. I know of one, and I wonder if anybody else knows another. The one I am thinking of is found in the Bible in the book of Genesis. Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel. 1. to deal a blow or stroke to (a person or thing), as with the fist, a weapon, or a hammer; hit. 2. Baseball. a pitch that is swung at and missed by the batter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted January 14, 2008 Report Share Posted January 14, 2008 [spoiler=who knew there were so many? (besides Google of course... )]http://www.rinkworks.com/words/contronyms.shtml anabasis - military advance, military retreat apology - admission of fault in what you think, say, or do; formal defense of what you think, say, or do aught - all, nothing bolt - secure, run away by - multiplication (e.g., a three by five matrix), division (e.g., dividing eight by four) chuffed - pleased, annoyed cleave - separate, adhere clip - fasten, detach consult - ask for advice, give advice copemate - partner, antagonist custom - usual, special deceptively smart - smarter than one appears, dumber than one appears dike - wall, ditch discursive - proceeding coherently from topic to topic, moving aimlessly from topic to topic dollop - a large amount, a small amount dust - add fine particles, remove fine particles enjoin - prescribe, prohibit fast - quick, unmoving first degree - most severe (e.g., murder), least severe (e.g., burn) fix - restore, castrate flog - criticize harshly, promote aggressively garnish - enhance (e.g., food), curtail (e.g., wages) give out - produce, stop production grade - incline, level handicap - advantage, disadvantage help - assist, prevent (e.g., "I can't help it if...") left - remaining, departed from liege - sovereign lord, loyal subject mean - average, excellent (e.g., "plays a mean game") off - off, on (e.g., "the alarm went off") out - visible (e.g., stars), invisible (e.g., lights) out of - outside, inside (e.g., "work out of one's home") oversight - error, care pitted - with the pit in, with the pit removed put out - extinguish, generate (e.g., something putting out light) quiddity - essence, trifling point quite - rather, completely ravel - tangle, disentangle rent - buy use of, sell use of rinky-dink - insignificant, one who frequents RinkWorks sanction - approve, boycott sanguine - hopeful, murderous (obsolete synonym for "sanguinary") screen - show, hide seed - add seeds (e.g., "to seed a field"), remove seeds (e.g., "to seed a tomato") skinned - with the skin on, with the skin removed strike - hit, miss (in baseball) table - propose (in the United Kingdom), set aside (in the United States) transparent - invisible, obvious unbending - rigid, relaxing variety - one type (e.g., "this variety"), many types (e.g., "a variety") wear - endure through use, decay through use weather - withstand, wear away wind up - end, start up (e.g., a watch) with - alongside, against Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 bonanova Posted January 15, 2008 Report Share Posted January 15, 2008 Here's another: I predict that Tony Dungy will weigh his options for another year with the Colts and finally decide to resign. Will he re-up for another season, or will he quit? Everyone knew that one Manning would be watching the other on TV next week, right? How about those Giants? Here's one for T.O. ... add a single tear coursing down the cheek. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted February 15, 2008 Report Share Posted February 15, 2008 What about expressions that are their own antonyms? The meaning of the phrase "you don't say!" is explained as follows in the "Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English" (2006 edition): used to show you are surprised by what someone has told you - also often used when you are not at all surprised by what someone has told you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 TwoaDay Posted February 15, 2008 Report Share Posted February 15, 2008 im sure their are alo of sentences like that like "Thanks alot" can actually be thanking someone or can be sarcastic and be saying someone did something wrong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 What about expressions that are their own antonyms? The meaning of the phrase "you don't say!" is explained as follows in the "Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English" (2006 edition): used to show you are surprised by what someone has told you - also often used when you are not at all surprised by what someone has told you. im sure their are alo of sentences like that like "Thanks alot" can actually be thanking someone or can be sarcastic and be saying someone did something wrong Well there's a definite difference between sarcasam and a word that has two definitions that are complete opposites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 I think you can get a book on them - I'm sure that I nearly bought one in Paris about 30 years ago Most common seems to be terriffic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted March 3, 2008 Report Share Posted March 3, 2008 I don't know if this fits the description: hot and cool are synonyms, but antonyms at the same time. They could mean popular (e.g. That's a hot dress! That's a cool dress!) or temperature, hot meaning warm and cool meaning cold. Those might be something totally different, but it's interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted March 6, 2008 Report Share Posted March 6, 2008 [spoiler=who knew there were so many? (besides Google of course... )]http://www.rinkworks.com/words/contronyms.shtml anabasis - military advance, military retreat apology - admission of fault in what you think, say, or do; formal defense of what you think, say, or do aught - all, nothing bolt - secure, run away by - multiplication (e.g., a three by five matrix), division (e.g., dividing eight by four) chuffed - pleased, annoyed cleave - separate, adhere clip - fasten, detach consult - ask for advice, give advice copemate - partner, antagonist custom - usual, special deceptively smart - smarter than one appears, dumber than one appears dike - wall, ditch discursive - proceeding coherently from topic to topic, moving aimlessly from topic to topic dollop - a large amount, a small amount dust - add fine particles, remove fine particles enjoin - prescribe, prohibit fast - quick, unmoving first degree - most severe (e.g., murder), least severe (e.g., burn) fix - restore, castrate flog - criticize harshly, promote aggressively garnish - enhance (e.g., food), curtail (e.g., wages) give out - produce, stop production grade - incline, level handicap - advantage, disadvantage help - assist, prevent (e.g., "I can't help it if...") left - remaining, departed from liege - sovereign lord, loyal subject mean - average, excellent (e.g., "plays a mean game") off - off, on (e.g., "the alarm went off") out - visible (e.g., stars), invisible (e.g., lights) out of - outside, inside (e.g., "work out of one's home") oversight - error, care pitted - with the pit in, with the pit removed put out - extinguish, generate (e.g., something putting out light) quiddity - essence, trifling point quite - rather, completely ravel - tangle, disentangle rent - buy use of, sell use of rinky-dink - insignificant, one who frequents RinkWorks sanction - approve, boycott sanguine - hopeful, murderous (obsolete synonym for "sanguinary") screen - show, hide seed - add seeds (e.g., "to seed a field"), remove seeds (e.g., "to seed a tomato") skinned - with the skin on, with the skin removed strike - hit, miss (in baseball) table - propose (in the United Kingdom), set aside (in the United States) transparent - invisible, obvious unbending - rigid, relaxing variety - one type (e.g., "this variety"), many types (e.g., "a variety") wear - endure through use, decay through use weather - withstand, wear away wind up - end, start up (e.g., a watch) with - alongside, against Did I get one that Google missed? Incredible: My wife is incredible. (great; amazing; wonderful) My wife is incredible. (unbelievable; horrible) And for the record, my wife is incredible, in every sense of the word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 I am thinking of a word that has two opposite definitions. I know of one, and I wonder if anybody else knows another. The one I am thinking of is found in the Bible in the book of Genesis. How bout Aloha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted March 25, 2008 Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 For years I've asked people a similar question..."What two words that are homonyms (sound the same) are antonyms?" I currently know of only one example, maybe you guys will find another. Both words are in common usage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted April 28, 2008 Report Share Posted April 28, 2008 "copemate - partner, antagonist" ... seems more like synonyms to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted May 23, 2008 Report Share Posted May 23, 2008 That's the one I had in mind. Genesis 2:24-- And then a meat cleaver is used to cleave or separate meat. Good job. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cleave There is only one definition for cleave. In the Bible, "...cleav[ing] unto [one's] wife" is meant in the, well, er... biblical sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted May 23, 2008 Report Share Posted May 23, 2008 There is only one definition for cleave. Check just about any dictionary and you'll see that's not true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted May 23, 2008 Report Share Posted May 23, 2008 Check just about any dictionary and you'll see that's not true. Huh. Right you are, although I found it only in one of three dictionaries (Oxford). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted June 5, 2008 Report Share Posted June 5, 2008 leeward Because Leeward can mean in the direction facing the wind or the direction away of the wind. I say this because in the dictionary it says i think away from the wind but in the book The Cay i think they say that it's toward the wind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted September 25, 2008 Report Share Posted September 25, 2008 I don't even think half of those count. I mean come on, confide? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted October 26, 2008 Report Share Posted October 26, 2008 [spoiler=who knew there were so many? (besides Google of course... )]http://www.rinkworks.com/words/contronyms.shtml anabasis - military advance, military retreat apology - admission of fault in what you think, say, or do; formal defense of what you think, say, or do aught - all, nothing bolt - secure, run away by - multiplication (e.g., a three by five matrix), division (e.g., dividing eight by four) chuffed - pleased, annoyed cleave - separate, adhere clip - fasten, detach consult - ask for advice, give advice copemate - partner, antagonist custom - usual, special deceptively smart - smarter than one appears, dumber than one appears dike - wall, ditch discursive - proceeding coherently from topic to topic, moving aimlessly from topic to topic dollop - a large amount, a small amount dust - add fine particles, remove fine particles enjoin - prescribe, prohibit fast - quick, unmoving first degree - most severe (e.g., murder), least severe (e.g., burn) fix - restore, castrate flog - criticize harshly, promote aggressively garnish - enhance (e.g., food), curtail (e.g., wages) give out - produce, stop production grade - incline, level handicap - advantage, disadvantage help - assist, prevent (e.g., "I can't help it if...") left - remaining, departed from liege - sovereign lord, loyal subject mean - average, excellent (e.g., "plays a mean game") off - off, on (e.g., "the alarm went off") out - visible (e.g., stars), invisible (e.g., lights) out of - outside, inside (e.g., "work out of one's home") oversight - error, care pitted - with the pit in, with the pit removed put out - extinguish, generate (e.g., something putting out light) quiddity - essence, trifling point quite - rather, completely ravel - tangle, disentangle rent - buy use of, sell use of rinky-dink - insignificant, one who frequents RinkWorks sanction - approve, boycott sanguine - hopeful, murderous (obsolete synonym for "sanguinary") screen - show, hide seed - add seeds (e.g., "to seed a field"), remove seeds (e.g., "to seed a tomato") skinned - with the skin on, with the skin removed strike - hit, miss (in baseball) table - propose (in the United Kingdom), set aside (in the United States) transparent - invisible, obvious unbending - rigid, relaxing variety - one type (e.g., "this variety"), many types (e.g., "a variety") wear - endure through use, decay through use weather - withstand, wear away wind up - end, start up (e.g., a watch) with - alongside, against And this is why the English language is so hard to learn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 19, 2008 Report Share Posted December 19, 2008 Here's another: I predict that Tony Dungy will weigh his options for another year with the Colts and finally decide to resign. Will he re-up for another season, or will he quit? Everyone knew that one Manning would be watching the other on TV next week, right? How about those Giants? Here's one for T.O. ... add a single tear coursing down the cheek. i believe it's resign and re-sign.... but, i thought i was wrong once but i was mistaken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 19, 2008 Report Share Posted December 19, 2008 What about expressions that are their own antonyms? The meaning of the phrase "you don't say!" is explained as follows in the "Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English" (2006 edition): used to show you are surprised by what someone has told you - also often used when you are not at all surprised by what someone has told you. i believe sarcasm could make this bpossibe for almost any word Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 19, 2008 Report Share Posted December 19, 2008 is "IN" which, among its many definitions, can relate to time. For example, "in an hour." This particular example illustrates how "in" can mean before, during, or after the end of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 19, 2008 Report Share Posted December 19, 2008 Hmm, I think maybe attack? You can attack in Offence. You can attack in Defence. And maybe left? One man left. (One man remaining) One man left. (One man departed) I may be way off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Guest Posted December 19, 2008 Report Share Posted December 19, 2008 egregious In archaic use meant excellent Now it means extremely bad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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I am thinking of a word that has two opposite definitions. I know of one, and I wonder if anybody else knows another. The one I am thinking of is found in the Bible in the book of Genesis.
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