How does a word end up with two opposite meanings at the same time?
I'm thinking of the word Sanction. In the first example below it has the meaning of "to okay" or "to give the green light to", and is used as a verb.
In the second example it is a noun which has the meaning of "preventative measures" which although not a direct opposite meaning, comes close.
US sanctions the use of force against drug smugglers
US sanctions against drug smugglers appear to be working.
single-word-requests meaning word-usage
asked Mar 31 at 1:04
Cass LopezCass Lopez
6
New contributor
Cass Lopez is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
I'm thinking of the word Sanction. In the first example below it has the meaning of "to okay" or "to give the green light to", and is used as a verb.
In the second example it is a noun which has the meaning of "preventative measures" which although not a direct opposite meaning, comes close.
US sanctions the use of force against drug smugglers
US sanctions against drug smugglers appear to be working.
single-word-requests meaning word-usage
asked Mar 31 at 1:04
Cass LopezCass Lopez
6
New contributor
Cass Lopez is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
Re: contronyms (just an interesting blog): grammarly.com/blog/10-verbs-contronyms.
– KannE
2 days ago
add a comment |
I'm thinking of the word Sanction. In the first example below it has the meaning of "to okay" or "to give the green light to", and is used as a verb.
In the second example it is a noun which has the meaning of "preventative measures" which although not a direct opposite meaning, comes close.
US sanctions the use of force against drug smugglers
US sanctions against drug smugglers appear to be working.
single-word-requests meaning word-usage
asked Mar 31 at 1:04
Cass LopezCass Lopez
6
New contributor
Cass Lopez is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I'm thinking of the word Sanction. In the first example below it has the meaning of "to okay" or "to give the green light to", and is used as a verb.
In the second example it is a noun which has the meaning of "preventative measures" which although not a direct opposite meaning, comes close.
US sanctions the use of force against drug smugglers
US sanctions against drug smugglers appear to be working.
single-word-requests meaning word-usage
single-word-requests meaning word-usage
asked Mar 31 at 1:04
Cass LopezCass Lopez
6
New contributor
Cass Lopez is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked Mar 31 at 1:04
Cass LopezCass Lopez
6
New contributor
Cass Lopez is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked Mar 31 at 1:04
Cass LopezCass Lopez
6
New contributor
Cass Lopez is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked Mar 31 at 1:04
Cass LopezCass Lopez
6
asked Mar 31 at 1:04
Cass LopezCass Lopez
6
6
New contributor
Cass Lopez is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Cass Lopez is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Cass Lopez is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
Re: contronyms (just an interesting blog): grammarly.com/blog/10-verbs-contronyms.
– KannE
2 days ago
add a comment |
1
Re: contronyms (just an interesting blog): grammarly.com/blog/10-verbs-contronyms.
– KannE
2 days ago
1
1
Re: contronyms (just an interesting blog): grammarly.com/blog/10-verbs-contronyms.
– KannE
2 days ago
Re: contronyms (just an interesting blog): grammarly.com/blog/10-verbs-contronyms.
– KannE
2 days ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
Good question. I think if you look at the word as the decision process that got them to the approve or disapprove side of that coin, it clears things up a bit.
US decides to use force against drug smugglers
US decision against drug smugglers appear to be working.
A sanction is just a popular opinion that some group of individuals decided on as the course of action they would take. When you look at it as the process it is the same, but if you only see the outcome of the vote, they appear to have opposite meanings.
answered yesterday
David Ian BranchDavid Ian Branch
52
Yeah, right....
– Hot Licks
yesterday
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "97"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
Cass Lopez is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fenglish.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f491995%2fhow-does-a-word-end-up-with-two-opposite-meanings-at-the-same-time%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
Good question. I think if you look at the word as the decision process that got them to the approve or disapprove side of that coin, it clears things up a bit.
US decides to use force against drug smugglers
US decision against drug smugglers appear to be working.
A sanction is just a popular opinion that some group of individuals decided on as the course of action they would take. When you look at it as the process it is the same, but if you only see the outcome of the vote, they appear to have opposite meanings.
answered yesterday
David Ian BranchDavid Ian Branch
52
Yeah, right....
– Hot Licks
yesterday
add a comment |
Good question. I think if you look at the word as the decision process that got them to the approve or disapprove side of that coin, it clears things up a bit.
US decides to use force against drug smugglers
US decision against drug smugglers appear to be working.
A sanction is just a popular opinion that some group of individuals decided on as the course of action they would take. When you look at it as the process it is the same, but if you only see the outcome of the vote, they appear to have opposite meanings.
answered yesterday
David Ian BranchDavid Ian Branch
52
Yeah, right....
– Hot Licks
yesterday
add a comment |
Good question. I think if you look at the word as the decision process that got them to the approve or disapprove side of that coin, it clears things up a bit.
US decides to use force against drug smugglers
US decision against drug smugglers appear to be working.
A sanction is just a popular opinion that some group of individuals decided on as the course of action they would take. When you look at it as the process it is the same, but if you only see the outcome of the vote, they appear to have opposite meanings.
answered yesterday
David Ian BranchDavid Ian Branch
52
Good question. I think if you look at the word as the decision process that got them to the approve or disapprove side of that coin, it clears things up a bit.
US decides to use force against drug smugglers
US decision against drug smugglers appear to be working.
A sanction is just a popular opinion that some group of individuals decided on as the course of action they would take. When you look at it as the process it is the same, but if you only see the outcome of the vote, they appear to have opposite meanings.
answered yesterday
David Ian BranchDavid Ian Branch
52
answered yesterday
David Ian BranchDavid Ian Branch
52
answered yesterday
David Ian BranchDavid Ian Branch
52
answered yesterday
David Ian BranchDavid Ian Branch
52
52
Yeah, right....
– Hot Licks
yesterday
add a comment |
Yeah, right....
– Hot Licks
yesterday
Yeah, right....
– Hot Licks
yesterday
Yeah, right....
– Hot Licks
yesterday
add a comment |
Cass Lopez is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Cass Lopez is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Cass Lopez is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Cass Lopez is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Thanks for contributing an answer to English Language & Usage Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fenglish.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f491995%2fhow-does-a-word-end-up-with-two-opposite-meanings-at-the-same-time%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
1
Re: contronyms (just an interesting blog): grammarly.com/blog/10-verbs-contronyms.
– KannE
2 days ago