Our English
dictionary has in it many words whose sounds and meanings can … confuse. In
this next series of doggerel, I’ll be writing about several sorts of such
words.
The first—the contronym: a word, says the Oxford English Dictionary, that has “two
opposite or contradictory meanings.”
Earliest published
use: 1962.
screen verb
1. to
present
2. to
conceal
They all
agreed that they should screen
Employees
with complexions green:
They could
be Martians (at the least)—
Or prehistoric sort of beast?
But Rex was
clever, and he screened
His foul
intents—until he gleaned
What their
routines were really for.
And then he
rose, began to roar.
“Why would they
hire a T Rex, dude?
No wonder
all of them got chewed!”
So said the
guy from the museum—
Who fondly named
the T Rex Liam.
And traveled
with him, coast to coast,
Made lots of
bucks, enjoyed each toast
That came
with his celebrity.
Then Liam
ate him (with chablis).
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