On the Contrary: Two-Faced Words: Contronyms

Contronyms are a special sort of words with contradictory definitions: they can mean their own opposites. Do you know both meanings for all of the words on this list?
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. apology
    an expression of regret at having caused trouble for someone
    Because — apologies for repeating myself yet again — this is not a normal recession. Washington Post (Aug 7, 2020)
    An apology is an expression of contrition, but it can also be a defense of an action or an opinion.
  2. bolt
    secure or lock with a bar or rod
    It was during the initial days of the virus and she was housed in a crowded, roach-infested dormitory room in a county jail where the bunks were bolted to the floor, making social distancing impossible. New York Times (Aug 7, 2020)
    You can bolt a door to lock it securely, but if you bolt at the sight of a ferocious tiger, you're running away to escape.
  3. bound
    confined by bonds
    That's especially true for communities that are tightly bound to their locations for economic, cultural or religious reasons. Scientific American (Aug 10, 2020)
    Bound can mean "tied up" but it can also mean "headed somewhere," as in homeward bound.
  4. cleave
    separate or cut with a tool, such as a sharp instrument
    In a country cleaved by political differences, paralyzed by a pernicious virus and suffering from a plunging economy, Thursday presented painful contrasts. Washington Post (Jul 30, 2020)
    You can cleave a steak in two with a cleaver, but you can also cleave to a person or an opinion: hold tightly.
  5. consult
    seek information from
    The play was initially ruled a home run for Solak, but the official scorer changed it to an error after consulting with the Elias Sports Bureau. Seattle Times (Aug 9, 2020)
    If you consult with a consultant, you're getting information and they're giving it.
  6. custom
    made according to the specifications of an individual
    From the exhaust side, Arch needed three catalytic converters for each bike, a part not typically made in small volumes, let alone engineered into the custom shapes Arch required. Los Angeles Times (Aug 10, 2020)
    A custom is a common, everyday tradition, but a custom suit is hand made especially to fit one specific customer.
  7. discursive
    tending to cover a wide range of subjects
    The rebuilding of Berlin – a long, discursive process in which historians, politicians and citizens debated for more than a decade – was aspirational. The Guardian (Jun 13, 2020)
    Discursive can mean an ordered speech or text, or one that wanders all over the place and is hard to follow.
  8. dusty
    covered with a layer of fine powdery material
    In dusty sheds on outback farms they join up with local shearers and, between them, relieve five million sheep of their fleeces over eight weeks. The Guardian (Aug 8, 2020)
    Dust is a coating of fine particles, and also the act of removing it with a cloth or furry brush.
  9. garnish
    decorate, as with parsley or other ornamental foods
    Throw in basil or mint leaf as garnish. Slate (Aug 5, 2020)
    If a chef puts a radish rose on a plate of food, that's a garnish, but if a judge garnishes your wages money gets taken out of your bank account to pay a debt.
  10. oversight
    management by watching and directing a person or group
    The authority is moving to strengthen its oversight of the project with additional engineers borrowed by Caltrans, he said. Los Angeles Times (Aug 10, 2020)
    Oversight refers to the act of supervising a job or activity, and also the failure to do exactly that: something being ignored, forgotten, or slipping through the cracks.
  11. peer
    a person who is of equal standing with another in a group
    “It is becoming more common to use peer pressure to solve these issues.” The Guardian (Aug 9, 2020)
    A peer is a classmate, or someone of equal status to you. But in British politics, a peer is a member of the aristocracy, the upper class, with a higher social standing than regular people.
  12. quiddity
    the essence that makes something the kind of thing it is
    “When you homogenize a city, you destroy its feeling of urbanity,” Ms. Schulman said, referring to the banks and drugstores and chains retailers steadily wallpapering over the city’s indispensable quiddities. New York Times (Feb 25, 2020)
    Quiddity can refer to the essence of something, or to a trivial distraction.
  13. sanction
    impose a penalty on; inflict punishment on
    On Friday the US announced sanctions on Hong Kong’s chief executive, Carrie Lam, as well as 10 other senior Chinese and Hong Kong officials, freezing any US-based assets and barring travel to the US. The Guardian (Aug 10, 2020)
    A sanction is a punishment, and also official permission to do something.
  14. weather
    atmospheric conditions such as temperature and precipitation
    Rizzo showed as much Sunday morning, before a lazy game was cut short by weather and a stubborn tarp. Washington Post (Aug 9, 2020)
    Weather can mean to wear down, but if you weather a storm that means you came out of it unharmed.
Created on Mon Jul 06 10:30:47 EDT 2020 (updated Tue Aug 18 14:18:52 EDT 2020)

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