I am my own worst enemy


mordorbund
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Some words are their own opposites.

For example, "cleave" means* both to "split or sever (something), especially along a natural line or grain" AND "stick fast to". So while it would be good to cleave to my wife it would be very bad to cleave her.

"With" is both to be "accompanied by" or "in the same direction as" AND "in opposition to". So I would need some clarification before answering "Who fought with France in World War 2?" (This ambiguity is why I sanction such questions).

Do you have any examples of autoantilogs (a word I just made up)?

 

* definitions from the online OED**.

** when playing charades, always include the Oxford English Dictionary in the "Books" category

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34 minutes ago, mordorbund said:

Some words are their own opposites.

Do you have any examples of autoantilogs (a word I just made up)?

I have seen them referred to as "contranyms". I used to have collected a dozen or so, but I don't remember them just now.

A related concept is a word that, depending on usage, can give a very different and seemingly opposite sense. A couple of examples include "strive", which might mean "to earnestly work for" (generally a positive idea) or "to vex with strife" (a generally negative idea), and "fast", which can mean "rapid" or "held immobile". And, of course, there's the observation of generations of Junior Primary children that Fast Sunday is nothing of the sort.

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While playing on my college’s Drumline, we got done with this practice run of a snare solo and it went beautifully. The guy next to me shouted “that was nasty!”

I was confused for a good minute before I realized “nasty” was actually slang for awesome.

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18 hours ago, mordorbund said:

"With" is both to be "accompanied by" or "in the same direction as" AND "in opposition to". So I would need some clarification before answering "Who fought with France in World War 2?" (This ambiguity is why I sanction such questions).

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/alma/8.10?lang=eng#p10

10 Nevertheless Alma alabored much in the spirit, bwrestling with God in cmighty prayer, that he would pour out his Spirit upon the people who were in the city; that he would also grant that he might baptize them unto repentance.

I used to think Alma wrestled against God (spiritually) in opposition.  It wasn't until years after my mission I thought of the other way "with" could be interpreted.  That Alma was accompanied by God in his wrestle.

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2 hours ago, dprh said:

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/alma/8.10?lang=eng#p10

10 Nevertheless Alma alabored much in the spirit, bwrestling with God in cmighty prayer, that he would pour out his Spirit upon the people who were in the city; that he would also grant that he might baptize them unto repentance.

I used to think Alma wrestled against God (spiritually) in opposition.  It wasn't until years after my mission I thought of the other way "with" could be interpreted.  That Alma was accompanied by God in his wrestle.

I have had the same thought within the last year or so. Don't know if there's anything to it, but I suspect there is.

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