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Originally posted by vistesdContronyms. (Taken from a Webb site I found while looking for words that are their own antonyms.)
I believe that cleave is the only word in the English language that is its own antonym. As always, context matters.
1. Sanction (via French, from Latin sanctio(n-), from sancire ‘ratify,’ ) can mean ‘give official permission or approval for (an action)’ or conversely, ‘impose a penalty on.’
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2. Oversight is the noun form of two verbs with contrary meanings, “oversee” and “overlook.” “Oversee,” from Old English ofersēon ‘look at from above,’ means ‘supervise’ (medieval Latin for the same thing: super- ‘over’ + videre ‘to see.’ ) “Overlook” usually means the opposite: ‘to fail to see or observe; to pass over without noticing; to disregard, ignore.’
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3. Left can mean either remaining or departed. If the gentlemen have withdrawn to the drawing room for after-dinner cigars, who’s left? (The gentlemen have left and the ladies are left.)
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4. Dust, along with the next two words, is a noun turned into a verb meaning either to add or to remove the thing in question. Only the context will tell you which it is. When you dust are you applying dust or removing it? It depends whether you’re dusting the crops or the furniture.
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5. Seed can also go either way. If you seed the lawn you add seeds, but if you seed a tomato you remove them.
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6. Stone is another verb to use with caution. You can stone some peaches, but please don’t stone your neighbor (even if he says he likes to get stoned).
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7. Trim as a verb predates the noun, but it can also mean either adding or taking away. Arising from an Old English word meaning ‘to make firm or strong; to settle, arrange,’ “trim” came to mean ‘to prepare, make ready.’ Depending on who or what was being readied, it could mean either of two contradictory things: ‘to decorate something with ribbons, laces, or the like to give it a finished appearance’ or ‘to cut off the outgrowths or irregularities of.’ And the context doesn’t always make it clear. If you’re trimming the tree are you using tinsel or a chain saw?
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8. Cleave can be cleaved into two “homographs,” words with different origins that end up spelled the same. “Cleave,” meaning ‘to cling to or adhere,’ comes from an Old English word that took the forms cleofian, clifian, or clīfan. “Cleave,” with the contrary meaning ‘to split or sever (something), ‘ as you might do with a cleaver, comes from a different Old English word, clēofan. The past participle has taken various forms: “cloven,” which survives in the phrase “cloven hoof,” “cleft,” as in a “cleft palate” or “cleaved.”
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9. Resign works as a contronym in writing. This time we have homographs, but not homophones. “Resign,” meaning ‘to quit,’ is spelled the same as “resign,” meaning ‘to sign up again,’ but it’s pronounced differently.
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10. Fast can mean "moving rapidly," as in "running fast," or ‘fixed, unmoving,’ as in "holding fast." If colors are fast they will not run. The meaning ‘firm, steadfast’ came first. The adverb took on the sense ‘strongly, vigorously,’ which evolved into ‘quickly,’ a meaning that spread to the adjective.
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11. Off means ‘deactivated,’ as in "to turn off," but also ‘activated,’ as in "The alarm went off."
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12. Weather can mean ‘to withstand or come safely through,’ as in “The company weathered the recession,” or it can mean ‘to be worn away’: “The rock was weathered.”
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13. Screen can mean ‘to show’ (a movie) or ‘to hide’ (an unsightly view).
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14. Help means ‘assist,’ unless you can’t help doing something, when it means ‘prevent.’
Wish I had something better to do. 😉
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Originally posted by josephwWish I had something better to do.
Contronyms. (Taken from a Webb site I found while looking for words that are their own antonyms.)
1. Sanction (via French, from Latin sanctio(n-), from sancire ‘ratify,’ ) can mean ‘give official permission or approval for (an action)’ or conversely, ‘impose a penalty on.’
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2. Oversight is the noun form of two verbs with contrary meanings, “oversee” an ...[text shortened]... ou can’t help doing something, when it means ‘prevent.’
Wish I had something better to do. 😉
You and I both need to find something!!! 🙂
Well, I was wrong by a lot of contranyms!
Originally posted by twhiteheadThe words, "not true" are synonomous with "false". A statement can be either
No it doesn't. That is a false dichotomy. 🙂
[b]Something that is 'neither true nor false' is not 'false' neither is it 'true'.
Therefore if the answer to a question is neither true nor false, it is not true - contradicting your first sentence.[/b]
1. "true"
2. "not true" (false)
3. "neither true nor false."
If I ask you a yes/no question only 1 and 2 apply.
Originally posted by FetchmyjunkA statement can be true 'and' false in different contexts. A statement can also be ambiguous and hence be neither false or true. A statement could sometimes be true, and sometimes false.
The words, "not true" are synonomous with "false". A statement can be either
1. "true"
2. "not true" (false)
3. "neither true nor false."
If I ask you a yes/no question only 1 and 2 apply.
Originally posted by FetchmyjunkNo, they are not. They are ambiguous.
The words, "not true" are synonomous with "false".
A statement can be either
1. "true"
2. "not true" (false)
3. "neither true nor false."
If I ask you a yes/no question only 1 and 2 apply.
Not so. When you ask a yes no question your question may be incoherent, illogical or have any number of other problems, and an answer may be true, false, or neither. You will find plenty of examples of all of this in this thread.
Originally posted by twhiteheadSo the question, "Is Sonship true?" is logical?
No, they are not. They are ambiguous.
[b]A statement can be either
1. "true"
2. "not true" (false)
3. "neither true nor false."
If I ask you a yes/no question only 1 and 2 apply.
Not so. When you ask a yes no question your question may be incoherent, illogical or have any number of other problems, and an answer may be true, false, or neither. You will find plenty of examples of all of this in this thread.[/b]
Originally posted by FetchmyjunkYes, I noticed that you had extreme difficulty actually answering my question as to whether or not he himself was a fact. You just kept on not answering it. Why was that?
By the way I said his existence was a fact.
A few posts ago you agreed that facts are true. Have you changed your mind again?
A few posts ago, I stated that under one definition of the word 'fact' facts are true. That you choose to misrepresent what I said is either reading comprehension fail on your part or blatant dishonesty. I suspect the latter given your behaviour so far.
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Originally posted by twhiteheadI chose not to answer it because it didn't make sense.
Yes, I noticed that you had extreme difficulty actually answering my question as to whether or not he himself was a fact. You just kept on not answering it. Why was that?
[b]A few posts ago you agreed that facts are true. Have you changed your mind again?
A few posts ago, I stated that under one definition of the word 'fact' facts are true. That y ...[text shortened]... nsion fail on your part or blatant dishonesty. I suspect the latter given your behaviour so far.[/b]
I am still waiting for you to give me an example of a fact that is 'not true'. You haven't given me one yet, why is that?