Sound and Sense, 10

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.

fast adj.

1. quick

2. stuck or made stable

The hare was certain he was fast,

So he was confident, of course,

When turtle planned the race. A blast,

He thought, I’ll have. But such remorse

The hare would feel at race’s end:

The turtle beat him! Can not be!

But it was true. I must pretend!

He feigned a limp—pathetically.

**

He swung on trees—he had a blast.

The next thing: He was in a cast.

He’d fallen—he was so aghast.

So fast at home he had to stay

On many a lovely summer day—

Oh, why do things just go this way!

But he recovered—back to trees

He went—he fell again. A sad reprise.

And this time fractured both his knees.