Word of the Day : Contronym

[jujube]

Contronym: Single words that have two contradictory meanings (they are their own opposites) are known as contronyms. For example:

Bolt: To secure, or to flee. "I will bolt the barn door so the horse won't bolt."

Bound: Heading to a destination, or restrained from movement. "I was bound for California but I'm bound to my obligations here."

Cleave: To adhere, or to separate. "Forsaking all others, to cleave only unto each other....at least until something happens to cleave us apart."

Dust: To add fine particles, or to remove them. "I dusted the cake with powdered sugar, but now I have to get the dustmop to clean the floor."

Fast: Quick, or stuck or made stable. "The car is stuck fast in the mud; call AAA fast!"

Left: Remained, or departed. "When his ship left port, all that was left was my broken heart."

Sanction: To approve, or to boycott. "It was an event sanctioned by the Olympic Committee but sanctions were called against the organizers because of rumors of doping."

Weather: To withstand, or to wear away. "The windmill is badly weathered but it still weathers on."

 

[StarSong]

Contronym is a perfect example of one of those lovely "Yep, there's a word for that" discoveries. Thanks for this one, @jujube

Adding to your list is one that's different in England than in the US, which I realized while watching the Great British Baking Show:
Homely: US - unattractive, ugly, inelegant.
Homely: England - feels like home, relaxed, natural, friendly, kind, unpretentious

While native speakers take them in stride, the sheer number of contronyms in our language must make English even more difficult for those who're learning English.

 

[jujube]

Contronym is a perfect example of one of those lovely "Yep, there's a word for that" discoveries. Thanks for this one, @jujube

Adding to your list is one that's different in England than in the US, which I realized while watching the Great British Baking Show:
Homely: US - unattractive, ugly, inelegant.
Homely: England - feels like home, relaxed, natural, friendly, kind, unpretentious

While native speakers take them in stride, the sheer number of contronyms in our language must make English even more difficult for those who're learning English.

I can't even imagine how hard it must be to learn English with the "rules" changing willy-nilly. "Lead" is pronounced both "leed" and "lehd". Bear and bare pronounced the same. "I before E except after C" EXCEPT when it isn't....