Very Peculiar Words

[Silence Resonance]

This is a tough one, but interesting.

 

What very peculiar property do the following words have in common?

 

cover, dust, left, transparent

[Incendia]

They all have two meanings based on the context with each meaning being the opposite of the other?

 

Cover

Let's cover this scandal (hide)

Let's cover this in class (show)

 

Dust

I will dust the room (remove the dust)

I will dust for fingerprints (add dust to)

 

Left

John's the only one left (remaining)

John's the only one who has left (is gone)

 

Transparent

The ghost is transparent (hard to see)

His motives are transparent (easy to see)

Edited December 9, 2010 by ProcuratorIncendia

[Silence Resonance]

That was so fast

[D H]

You can add "boned" to that list:

"We're having boned turkey and dressing for supper" (bones removed)

"She has a delicately boned facial structure" (bones present)

"We boned up on physics this weekend" (bones (of knowledge) added)

"..." (Crude meaning elided)

[dalgoma]

The following was written by Peter Hilton, Mathematician at Bletchley Park in 1943, one of the Emigma codebreakers.

 

"Doc note, I dissent. A fast never prevents a fatness. I diet on cod"

 

A coincidence- I have just noticed that Peter Hilton died on Dec. 2.

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/dec/02/peter-hilton-obituary

[michel123456]

Palindrome Edited December 16, 2010 by michel123456

[Silence Resonance]

Palindromes are cool but sometimes lack enough clearance to give understood meanings..

[michel123456]

eerg ai

[rigney]

eerg ai

 

Nope, Just a quasi overlap.