Sound and Sense, 4

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.

bound adj.

1. heading to a destination

2. restrained from movement

We heard that he was Yukon bound:

He hoped for riches in the ground.

Alas, there were none to be found.

Now all he does is hang around

And mutter things not too profound.

**

They bound and gagged him—reason why?

He was a most obnoxious guy.

He always bragged about his looks—

And claimed he’d “never read no books.”

No women liked him—nor no men—

And this, of course, is not a sin.

But he became unbearable—

So truly awful, terrible.

We gagged him—he was firmly bound.

He’s on a boat, now Yukon bound.