One Thing And It's Opposite

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One Thing And It's Opposite

by SeasideMan ^Pro @ 07/11/08 – 08:05:17

Have you ever noticed that there are some words that can mean both one thing and almost it's opposite, depending on the context?

Here are three:

"Cleave" can mean both to stick to, and to separate.

"Bolt" (see picture) means both to join together and to run away.

"Let" means both to allow and to hinder

Can you think of any other examples of this?

Cheers, Tom.
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- photography
- words
- bolt
- meaning
- let
- cleave
- opposite

13 Comments to One Thing And It's Opposite

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- MarikaSunSeeker
- 07/11/08 @ 09:32:20
An interesting observation Tom, this could explain why the English written word can sometimes be so ambiguous. I can't think of any others just now, but if I do, you will be the first to know
- - SeasideMan ^Pro
  - 07/11/08 @ 12:02:17
  Cool :-)
  
  Tom.
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- jenray ^Pro
- http://www.jenniferhunter.co.uk
- 07/11/08 @ 12:53:29
Think you haven't got enough space here for all of them...LOL...and still trying to work out what the square is... GHBs...XXX
- - jenray ^Pro
  - http://www.jenniferhunter.co.uk
  - 07/11/08 @ 12:56:08
  Here's a few more...
  
  lift a levy: to increase the rate of levy
  lift a levy: to abolish a levy
  
  moot: arguable
  moot: not worthy of argument
  
  oversight: watchful control
  oversight: a failure to notice
  
  sanction: to permit
  sanction: to impose a penalty
  
  dust: to remove dust
  dust: to sprinkle with dust (as when taking fingerprints)
  
  fast: moving quickly
  fast: staying fixed in position
  
  left: remaining
  left: having departed
  
  GBHs
  - - SeasideMan ^Pro
    - 09/11/08 @ 00:23:23
    Excellent :-)
    
    I particularly like "left".
    
    Tom.
    - - jenray ^Pro
      - http://www.jenniferhunter.co.uk
      - 09/11/08 @ 12:18:38
      And 'fast' has a third...to abstain from food... Just to confuse even more...GBHs...XXX
      - SeasideMan ^Pro
        
        09/11/08 @ 12:28:18
        
        Excellent, so it does!
        
        Tom.
        
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- - dennypoos
  - 07/11/08 @ 15:03:33
  Looks like the top of a bolt or large old nail in a piece of weather-beaten wood.
  As it's a Tom Photo, I'm thinking Groynes.
  - - jenray ^Pro
    - http://www.jenniferhunter.co.uk
    - 07/11/08 @ 15:48:20
    Well, I presume it's a round hole and a square peg, but odd looking peg...looks like a battered biscuit...LOL...GBHs...XXX
    - - dennypoos
      - 07/11/08 @ 20:06:40
      I think what gave it away was in the body of text, when giving three examples of the opposite being equally valid, next to the example 'Bolt' were the words, "see picture"
      
      Denny,
      
      xx...etc.
      - jenray ^Pro
        
        http://www.jenniferhunter.co.uk
        
        07/11/08 @ 22:08:10
        
        GHBs..XX
        
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  - - SeasideMan ^Pro
    - 09/11/08 @ 00:26:59
    Yup, a horizontal bolt in a groyne :-)
    
    Tom.
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- CruiseJ65
- 08/11/08 @ 21:09:47
You are all to studious for me today!!
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