Printable View
I was reading on another board about words that can mean the opposite of what is implied.
"Seed" is an example of a contranym (or contronym), since it indicates opposite actions; i.e., you can seed clouds and seed tomatoes.
Think about that when you're pondering collective nouns.
<font color="#FFFFAA" size="1">[ September 18, 2005 07:01 AM: Message edited by: gae ]</font>
Huh? Maybe it's late, and it's over my head, but I don't get it....how do you "seed" a tomato? And "seeding" the clouds is more a figure of speech....right? Or am I missing something here?
Taking something out, putting something in, same word to mean both.
Contranyms. I like it.
Well you can seed your garden while being a bad seed yourself.
Kinda like Grease.
You can use grease to grease a wheel.
The same word used as a verb and a noun.
[img]tongue.gif[/img] [img]cool.gif[/img] [img]smile.gif[/img]
More like "dust"
can mean to remove fine particles from: "dust the table"
can mean to add fine particles to: "dust powdered sugar onto the cake"
Or Butt!
You can have a really nice butt or, you can butt into someone's conversation [img]tongue.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/angel.gif[/img] LOL!
Or stand
You can stand on your own two feet, or you can put someone on the stand to testify.
[img]tongue.gif[/img] [img]cool.gif[/img] [img]smile.gif[/img]
self-contained opposites; a delightful tension therein
And something else for Dulc: remember last Thursday, Gae, I told you of the unexpected hug I got and what I was going to do the next Monday night? Did it, got ANOTHER hug and a conversation. Within 10 minutes he was telling me that he made "good money" with "a secure job". Hmmmm, I think this may be a wholly manipulable situation. It will be good practice.
I still think you people are taking metaphors, similies, and plan ol' figures of speech, and turning them into some etymological discertation.
That's wonderful news, Dulc. [img]smile.gif[/img] I want more details!
And Lew, see... your posts are one of the reasons why you don't get to hang out in biker bars with me and Dulc. You're limiting yourself.
Oh man, talk about a buzzkill. I have just been told by a coworker that it is bad karma to toy with someone for my own amusement. Well, I guess I have to scrap THAT set of plans.
Maybe if I toy with someone for you-all's amusement it would be okay? [img]wink.gif[/img]