Antilogies
Apparent : Clearly so; an illusion (e.g., “apparent wind” in sailing)
Attraction of (e.g., dogs for men): Attracted to; attracted by
Bag (it): Capture it; (slang) discard it
Below par : Inferior; superior (golf score)
Blown away : (We were): Crushed; ( US colloq.) overjoyed
Boned : Containing bones (e.g., corset stays); without bones (e.g., serving fish)
Buckle (v.): Fasten; collapse
Charterer : Provider; user
Cite : Praise; condemn
Cleave : Chop apart; stick together
Commencement : Beginning; end (of college education)
Commit : Do yourself (e.g., crime); delegate (to a committee)
Consult : Seek advice; (business) give advice
Contemporary : Alive at this time; alive at another time. Of a picture frame or the binding of an old book, “contemporary” can mean either the original or a modern replacement.
Continue : Proceed; (legal) put off proceeding
Could care less (he): He might be less concerned; (US slang) he couldn't be less concerned
Cram : Instruct (in a cram school); learn (for exam)
Critical : Opposed; an essential support (e.g., “His speech was critical”)
To a degree : Somewhat; greatly
Discharge : Reject (waste, or an employee); accept (a duty)
Downhill : (Particularly going…) getting worse; getting better (e.g., “It's all downhill from here on”)
Dust : Remove dust; lay down dust (e.g., with cinnamon, or crop-dusting)
Elegant : Adorned; simplest possible (mathematical solution)
Engagement : (Matrimonial) loving tie; (military) battle
Enjoin : Require; (legal) forbid
Ever : Always; never
Fast : Moving rapidly; not moving (as make fast or stand fast)
Fight with : Fight against; fight together with
Finish (v.): Perfect (e.g., furniture); destroy (e.g., finish off)
Fix : Repair; (colloq.) destroy (e.g., “I'll fix him”)
Garnish : Add (e.g., parsley to food); take away (from salary)
Handicap : Disadvantage; advantage (e.g., “I'll give you a handicap”)
Heave : Pull in close (line); throw far away (discus)
Heave to (maritime): (Of sailor) get going; (of sailboat) halt
Historic : Past; present (“This is a historic moment”)
Horned : Possessing horns; (cattle) with horns removed
In charge of : ( U.S. ) managing; ( U.K. ) managed by
Knockout : Collapse; (colloq.) triumph
Late : New (e.g., model); defunct (e.g., spouse)
Lease : Lease to; lease from
Let (double antilogy): (1) Permit; obstruct (as in tennis, and “let or hindrance”); (2) Supply as lessor; use as lessee
Let him have it : Give him what he wants; (slang) kill him
Liberal : ( U.S. ) in favor of government intervention; (elsewhere) against government intervention
Lift : Enrich; rob
Limit appeal to… : Appeal particularly to; appeal very little to
Lose no time in… : Do promptly; not do at all. (When sent as unsolicited tome, Henry James reputedly replied, “I shall lose no time in reading your book.”)
Mangle : Iron smooth; mess up
Marketing : Selling (business); buying (household)
Maximum : The most, without limit; no more than a limit
Minimum (notably, commission or order): Least possible; no less than
Moot : (1) Under consideration; not under consideration; (2) Undecided; (law) decided
Overlook : Observe; fail to observe
Overwhelmed : Horrified; delighted
Oversight : Supervision; failure to supervise
Pass : Not happen (e.g., in a bridge game); happen (it cam to pass)
Patron : Proprietor; customer
Peer : An equal; (colloq.) a superior
Pinch hitter : Superior substitute (baseball); inferior substitute (all other usages, notably a replacement speaker)
Presently : In the future; (colloq.) now
Puzzler : Propounder of puzzles; solver of puzzles
Qualified : Just right (job applicant); defective (approval, auditor's report, etc.)
Quite : Slightly (e.g., “quite nice”); utterly (e.g., “quite out of the question”)
Rarely (e.g., skillful): Very good; not very good
Rather (e.g., good): Very, not very
Ravel : Entangle; disentangle
Renter : Landlord; tenant
Riddler : Propounder of riddles; solver of riddles
Rock (e.g., of Ages): (1) Solid support; (musical) hysterical agitation
Root : Dig up; growing roots
Sanction : Permission; punishment
Screen : Conceal; show (in cinema)
Seed : Add seeds (e.g., to garden); remove seeds (e.g., from watermelon)
Several : Numerous; single (e.g., “joint and several”)
Smash : Huge success; ruinous failure
Spare : Excess (e.g., time); meager
Spoil (v.): Ply with goodies; plunder
Stand : Stay still; move (e.g., out to sea, or for Parliament)
Stay : Halt; continue (e.g., the course)
Strike (v.): Act; (labor) stop acting
Table (parliamentary): Bring up for discussion; defer discussing
Temper : Harden; soften (e.g., justice with mercy)
Terrific : Terrifying; (colloq.) attractive
Throw out (idea): Propose; reject (e.g., baby with bathwater)
To my knowledge : I know; I don't know
Top (v.): Increase (e.g., a record, or added whipped cream); decrease (e.g., a tree)
Trim : Cut down; embellish (e.g., a turkey or Christmas tree)
Unbending : Rigid; easing off from rigidity
Vegetate : Grow; stagnate
Wicked : Deplorable; (colloq.) admirable (e.g., a wicked serve)
Wind up : Prepare to start (pitches and watches); prepare to stop (companies)
You can't be too… (e.g., thin): You should be as thin as possible; don't be excessively thin
