Sound and Sense, 26

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.

skinned adj.

1. covered with skin

2. with the skin removed

Although the creature, greenly skinned,

Had gills, was very sharply finned,

He really made me laugh—and bend

With such delight and endless glee

That I just flat out failed to see

That he, now crazed, was stalking me.

He caught me—won’t pretend—

And quickly had me cleanly skinned,

And I don’t think that I will mend

Because—now that I think of it—

The creature's had a hunger fit,

And now I’m turning on a spit.