Saturday, October 1, 2022

Contranyms

 
     Contranyms are single words that have two contradictory meanings (they are their own opposites!).  They are somewhat rare. Still, here are 10 of them:

1.  Apology:  a statement of contrition (sorrow) for an act, or a firm defense of one
2.  Bolt:  to secure, or to flee
3.  Bound:  heading to a destination, running off ('bounding away') OR restrained from movement at all
4.  Cleave:  to adhere to, or to separate
5.  Dust:  to add fine particles, or to removed them
6.  Fast:  quick, or stuck/made stable
7.   Left:  remained, or departed
8.   Peer:  a person of the nobility, or an equal  (actually the 2nd came out of the first; the peers were each other's equals, with rights the hoi polloi didn't have)
9.   Sanction:  to approve, or to boycott
10.  Weather: to withstand, to wear away

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