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Yes. Think about the word awful -it used to mean "inspiring awe" but it flipped and now always means bad. I got curious so I looked up some examples that still

by d2vid 14y ago

Yes. Think about the word awful -it used to mean "inspiring awe" but it flipped and now always means bad. I got curious so I looked up some examples that still can mean something or the exact opposite: Bolt - run away or secure in place Cleave - cut or join Garnish - add (parsley) or remove (wages) Weather - weather the storm or become weathered

bct 14y ago
Some of your examples are very different from the case of "literally". "Awful" isn't a reversal of meaning, it's a narrowing of meaning. > Bolt - run away or secure in place These are homynyms, not divergent meanings. A crossbow bolt is fast, a door bolt is secure. > Cleave - cut or join These appear to have converged from the separate Old English verbs "cleofan" and "clifian": http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=cleave&searchmode=none http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&s... (Interestingly, "literally" has been misused to mean its opposite since at least the 1680s: http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=literally&allowed_in_frame=0 http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=literally&allow... . We've held off the "it means just what I choose it to mean" hordes so far, why give up now?)
mdonahoe 14y ago
Some more of these "contronyms" http://www.rinkworks.com/words/contronyms.shtml http://www.rinkworks.com/words/contronyms.shtml Words that are their own antonyms. My favorite is off: "off - off, on (e.g., the alarm went off)"
rfurmani 14y ago
King James II of England, when he saw the restored and expanded St. Paul's Cathedral, called it "amusing, awful and artificial." The architect, Sir Christopher Wren, was not offended. On the contrary, he was flattered. The king did not mean that it was funny or entertaining. He was not calling it atrocious or appalling. He did not consider it fake or pretentious. In 17th century England, amusing meant "riveting." Awful meant "full of awe" or "awe inspiring." And artificial meant "artistic."

by d2vid 14y ago

bct 14y ago

Some of your examples are very different from the case of "literally". "Awful" isn't a reversal of meaning, it's a narrowing of meaning. > Bolt - run away or secure in place These are homynyms, not divergent meanings. A crossbow bolt is fast, a door bolt is secure. > Cleave - cut or join These appear to have converged from the separate Old English verbs "cleofan" and "clifian": http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=cleave&searchmode=none http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&s... (Interestingly, "literally" has been misused to mean its opposite since at least the 1680s: http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=literally&allowed_in_frame=0 http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=literally&allow... . We've held off the "it means just what I choose it to mean" hordes so far, why give up now?)

mdonahoe 14y ago

Some more of these "contronyms" http://www.rinkworks.com/words/contronyms.shtml http://www.rinkworks.com/words/contronyms.shtml Words that are their own antonyms. My favorite is off: "off - off, on (e.g., the alarm went off)"

rfurmani 14y ago

King James II of England, when he saw the restored and expanded St. Paul's Cathedral, called it "amusing, awful and artificial." The architect, Sir Christopher Wren, was not offended. On the contrary, he was flattered. The king did not mean that it was funny or entertaining. He was not calling it atrocious or appalling. He did not consider it fake or pretentious. In 17th century England, amusing meant "riveting." Awful meant "full of awe" or "awe inspiring." And artificial meant "artistic."