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It's not what it says on the tin

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When the opposite is true

RNfinity | 17-01-2023

1 #Street Food. Why are there 'Street food restaurant'? I thought the whole premise of street food is there aren't any premises.

2# Fast-Track. When everyone takes the fast-track option it’s slower and frustrating.

3# 'Just a moment'. Here we go. Did you remember to pack your toothbrush?

4# It does what it says on the tin. Only if you read the fine print.

5# American Football. The ball rarely touches the foot.

6# ‘Slow cooked’. Instructions: ‘Put in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes.’

7# Not addictive. It’s not addictive, I played it a thousand times, but I am still not addicted to it.

8# Safe Space. This is a safe space- translation - Go on spill the beans; terrifying words indeed. It doesn't matter what the 'facilitator says' If your gut instinct tells you this isn't a safe space. There's a bunch of very inquisitive chatty people in the room are they going to adhere to the safe space/Vegas pact?


What is a Contronym?

A contronym (also called an auto-antonym or Janus word) is a single word that has two opposite or contradictory meanings depending on the context in which it is used.

Examples of Contronyms

Word Meaning 1 Opposite Meaning 2
Dust To remove dust ("I dusted the shelves.") To add fine particles ("I dusted the cake with sugar.")
Seed To plant seeds ("Farmers seed the field.") To remove seeds ("Seed the watermelon before serving.")
Left Departed ("He left the room.") Remaining ("The food left on the table was eaten.")
Trim To decorate ("Trim the tree with ornaments.") To cut and remove ("Trim the hedge neatly.")
Clip To attach ("Clip the papers together.") To cut off ("Clip the coupon from the newspaper.")
Sanction To approve ("The board sanctioned the project.") To penalize or punish ("The country faced sanctions.")
Weather To withstand ("The building weathered the storm.") To wear away ("The rocks were weathered by the wind.")
Screen To show ("The movie was screened at the festival.") To hide ("The trees screened the house from view.")
Bound Heading to ("She is bound for New York.") Restricted or tied ("He was bound by contract.")
Oversight Careful supervision ("The project was under strict oversight.") An error from neglect ("It was a simple oversight.")



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