If you grew up with English as your first language you are lucky because it is very difficult to learn having so many quirks. And all these quirks can be confusing.
One quirk is that English is filled with words that have contradictory meanings, or what is linguistically referred to as contronyms. A contronym is a word with two definitions that contradict each other. Imagine how difficult learning these would be if you hadn’t grown up speaking English.
Strike
1st meaning: to hit or deliver a blow.
2nd meaning: to miss while trying to hit (baseball).
Trim
1st meaning: to remove branches from a tree.
2nd meaning: to add branches and decorations to a Christmas tree.
Seed
1st meaning: to add seeds to the grass.
2nd meaning: to remove seeds from a fruit, like in seeding a watermelon.
Bound
1st meaning: to be bound for something is to move towards it with determination.
2nd meaning: to be bound by something is to be limited or restricted by something.
Fast 1st meaning: moving
1st meaning: moving quickly.
2nd meaning: firmly fixed or attached to one place. E.g. the roots are fast in the ground.
Weather
1st meaning: to withstand or endure. E.g. weather a storm. 2nd meaning: worn down.
2nd meaning: worn down. E.g. the rock is weathered.
Consult
1st meaning: to seek advice. E.g. consult a doctor for instruction. 2nd meaning: to give
2nd meaning: to give advice. E.g. a consultant issues guidance.
Custom
1st meaning: common practice or tradition shared by many people.
2nd meaning: a unique item such as a custom-made blouse.
Dust
1st meaning: to sprinkle a fine powder over something.
2nd meaning: to clean an object or surface by brushing away the dust.
Finished
1st meaning: completed. E.g. the project is finally finished.
2nd meaning: destroyed. E.g. I’m finished.
Out
1st meaning: Visible. E.g. the stars are out.
2nd meaning: not working, or invisible. E.g. the lights are out.
Overlook
1st meaning: monitor or supervise. E.g. he was overlooking his harvest men.
2nd meaning: neglect or fail to notice. E.g. she seems to have overlooked one important fact.
Left
1st meaning: Someone or something that is remaining. E.g. Who’s left?
2nd meaning: Someone or something that has departed. E.g. He left.
Resign
1st meaning: to quit.
2nd meaning: to sign up again.
Sanction
1st meaning: to formally give permission for something, usually by a government.
2nd meaning: impose a ban on someone after violating the rules.
Oversight
1st meaning: supervision.
2nd meaning: to ignore or pass over without noticing.
Stone
1st meaning: to remove the stones from a fruit.
2nd meaning: to throw stones at someone or something.
Cleave
1st meaning: to cling to or adhere.
2nd meaning: to split or sever something.
Off
1st meaning: not functioning. E.g. turn off the T.V.
2nd meaning: functioning. E.g. the alarm went off.
Screen
1st meaning: to hide. E.g. a screen of fog.
2nd meaning: to show. E.g. to screen a movie.
Help
1st meaning: to assist someone in something.
2nd meaning: to prevent, as in you can’t help doing something.
Go
1st meaning: to proceed.
2nd meaning: to give out or fail. E.g. my car started to go.
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