Contranyms
(Jekyll-and-Hyde words; words that have two distinctly contrary or even opposite meanings)
biweekly
1. Occurring twice a week.
2. Occurring every two weeks.
2. Occurring every two weeks.
bolt
1. To secure: "Bolt (lock) the door."
2. To depart freely: "I could see the man bolt out the door as the owner of the house came home."
2. To depart freely: "I could see the man bolt out the door as the owner of the house came home."
cleave
1. To stick together; such as, "a person who cleaves to his principles" or "children who cleave to their families".
2. To split up; "the ax easily cleaved the log".
2. To split up; "the ax easily cleaved the log".
clip
1. To attach; such as, "Clip the note to the paper."
2. To remove; "His mother is going to clip his hair" or "The man is clipping the hedge."
2. To remove; "His mother is going to clip his hair" or "The man is clipping the hedge."
dust
1. To remove material; "Dust the shelves and the floor."
2. To lay down material; "The farmer will dust the crops today."
2. To lay down material; "The farmer will dust the crops today."
go off
1. Start; "The alarm will start buzzing at seven o'clock in the morning."
2. End; "The TV show will go off at midnight."
2. End; "The TV show will go off at midnight."
good deal
1. Very much; as, expensive.
2. Very little; as a bargain.
2. Very little; as a bargain.
An expensive car costs a good deal of money, but someone might get a good deal on a cheaper model.
left
1. Departed from; "He left the office an hour ago."
2. Remain; "Only three people are left to complete their meals."
2. Remain; "Only three people are left to complete their meals."
moot (verb), moots; mooted; mooting
To present an idea or a topic for debate or discussion: The tax issues have been mooted in Congress and they will be points of arguments for a long time.
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mortar
1. Material for sticking things together; such as, a wet substance that is spread between bricks or stones and which holds them together when it hardens.
2. A device, or weapon, for blowing things apart with shells; "The soldiers came under mortar fire."
2. A device, or weapon, for blowing things apart with shells; "The soldiers came under mortar fire."
Bricks require mortar to stick, or hold, them together, but a mortar shell would blow apart a brick wall.
out
1. Invisible; "Turn the lights out." "The stains came out of the shirt."
2. Visible; "The moon and stars are out tonight."
2. Visible; "The moon and stars are out tonight."
overlook
1. To look over or not to consider someone for a job, position, promotion, etc.; "The ball player was overlooked by the other teams."
2. To fail to see or to notice (look over) something; "The detective overlooked an important clue.
2. To fail to see or to notice (look over) something; "The detective overlooked an important clue.
peer
1. A person of the same civil ranking or standing before the law; "He was respected and admired by his peers."
2. A person of noble birth; "He was given the peerage (rank of a British peer or nobility) after years of devoted service to the community."
2. A person of noble birth; "He was given the peerage (rank of a British peer or nobility) after years of devoted service to the community."
put up
1. To construct; "A building will be put up on this site."
2. To disassemble; "Put up your toys and get ready for bed."
2. To disassemble; "Put up your toys and get ready for bed."
ravel
1. To entangle, to tangle or to complicate.
2. To disentanble; "The fabric will ravel into separate threads in the washing machine."
2. To disentanble; "The fabric will ravel into separate threads in the washing machine."
Showing page 1 out of 2 pages of 19 main-word entries or main-word-entry groups.