DO YOU KNOW WHAT A CONTRONYM IS?

Writers and other word nerds love language, with all its idiosyncrasies and peculiarities. One category of language oddities are contronyms, words which mean their opposite--auto-antonyms also called contronyms. Confused yet?

Author and friend, Braden Bell, (The Roadshow, The Kindling), shared this list with me some months ago, and I thought it was worth sharing. Dazzle your family members at supper tonight. There's a link at the bottom that leads to site with others, but can you name some without looking? Here goes. Enjoy!


to separate, sever or split apart: he cut the meat with a heavy cleaver; think cleft palate, cleft hooves.

Sanction: to give official authorization or approval
to penalize for violating a moral principle or law.

screen: to obscure or hide
to show or review

dust: to clean up particles
to sprinkle or cover with

buckle: to fasten
to give way

temper: water down or moderate
make harder or strengthen

wear: to deteriorate by use
to stand up to use

apology: admit fault
give a defense or explanation of

Here is a list of a lot more:

http://www.rinkworks.com/words/contronyms.shtmlCopyright 2009 Laurie LC Lewis, (To obtain permission to copy or reprint any portion of this post, please contact the author at lclewis2007@gmail.com)