Maddenation

Reclude

While fishing in the dictionary today, I discovered the word reclude, which is an autoantonym (or antagonym), a word that means the opposite of itself (though it is not in common usage nowadays). From the Oxford English Dictionary:

1. trans. To open (a gate, etc.).  
2. To shut up (a thing or person); to close.

The second meaning ties in to our more common noun-form recluse.

Patrick • Words • 08/25/04 • 1 comments

Comments

Dad • 08/26/04 • 9:56 PM:

“What use is a word that means the opposite of itself?” Tom said oxymoronically.

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