Reader's Digest １１月号の記事 'Words That Are Their Own Opposites' からの引用です。
A contronym is a word that is its own antonym. Sound unusual? You probablly use contronym every day ...
この後に "contronym" を使った例文が続きます。そうだなと思う例文の他に片方の意味を知らなかった例が二つありました。
- Dust can mean "to add dust" (to crops) or "to remove dust" (from furniture).
- Cleave can mean either "to cling/adhere" or "to split/sever."
私が知らなかったのは "dust" の次の用法と、
・Oxford English Dictionary: Cover lightly with a powdered substance.: Roll out on a surface dusted with flour.; Sprinkle (a powdered substance) on to something.: Orange powder was dusted over the upper body.
そして、"cleave" の次の意味でした。
・Oxford English Dictionary: Adhere strongly to (a particular pursuit or belief): Part of why we cleave to sports is that excellence is so measurable.; Become very strongly involved with or emotionally attached to (someone): It was his choice to cleave to the Brownings.
"contronym" は厄介な単語ですね。
A contronym is a word that is its own antonym. Sound unusual? You probablly use contronym every day ...
この後に "contronym" を使った例文が続きます。そうだなと思う例文の他に片方の意味を知らなかった例が二つありました。
- Dust can mean "to add dust" (to crops) or "to remove dust" (from furniture).
- Cleave can mean either "to cling/adhere" or "to split/sever."
私が知らなかったのは "dust" の次の用法と、
・Oxford English Dictionary: Cover lightly with a powdered substance.: Roll out on a surface dusted with flour.; Sprinkle (a powdered substance) on to something.: Orange powder was dusted over the upper body.
そして、"cleave" の次の意味でした。
・Oxford English Dictionary: Adhere strongly to (a particular pursuit or belief): Part of why we cleave to sports is that excellence is so measurable.; Become very strongly involved with or emotionally attached to (someone): It was his choice to cleave to the Brownings.
"contronym" は厄介な単語ですね。
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