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opposites, word-wise
Posted: Wed May 20, 2020 4:52 pm
by probes
just asking - been wondering - what would the word be for the opposite of 'lockdown'. Lockup, unlockdown, or unlockup?
Well, as you lock and unlock something. There should be some logic?
Re: opposites, word-wise
Posted: Wed May 20, 2020 5:10 pm
by unifoxos
Freedom?
Re: opposites, word-wise
Posted: Wed May 20, 2020 5:13 pm
by probes
no, that's too simple. There has to be something sophisticated to end a complicated situation
.
Re: opposites, word-wise
Posted: Wed May 20, 2020 6:18 pm
by Pontius Navigator
Cockup?
Typical politicos or media, get us in to lockdown with no thought of the opposite.
Mrs PN suggests breakout.
Re: opposites, word-wise
Posted: Wed May 20, 2020 7:41 pm
by Undried Plum
Trump
Re: opposites, word-wise
Posted: Wed May 20, 2020 10:48 pm
by ricardian
If something is described as "uncanny" what is "canny"?
Re: opposites, word-wise
Posted: Wed May 20, 2020 11:08 pm
by Undried Plum
ricardian wrote: ↑Wed May 20, 2020 10:48 pm
If something is described as "uncanny" what is "canny"?
Canny Man's, the pub, is shut.
Re: opposites, word-wise
Posted: Thu May 21, 2020 5:58 am
by unifoxos
Oop North, canny is a normal everyday word.
I'm gruntled to know that.
Re: opposites, word-wise
Posted: Thu May 21, 2020 6:35 am
by G-CPTN
Indeed, canny is a canny useful word with a canny number of meanings, canny lad - so gan canny.
1.
having or showing shrewdness and good judgement, especially in money or business matters.
"canny investors will switch banks if they think they are getting a raw deal"
Similar:
shrewd
astute
sharp
sharp-witted
discerning
acute
penetrating
discriminating
perceptive
perspicacious
clever
intelligent
wise
sagacious
sensible
judicious
circumspect
careful
prudent
cautious
cunning
crafty
wily
artful
calculating
on the ball
smart
savvy
suss
sussed
pawky
heads-up
as sharp as a tack
whip-smart
long-headed
sapient
argute
Opposite:
foolish
reckless
2.
NORTHERN ENGLISH•SCOTTISH
pleasant; nice.
Re: opposites, word-wise
Posted: Thu May 21, 2020 7:17 am
by probes
As there's 'cockdown', well, then...
Or should I admit my
intellectual humility? 
Re: opposites, word-wise
Posted: Thu May 21, 2020 10:40 am
by ian16th
An Air Canada 'spokesman' talking about the future and of the 737-Max being "ungrounded"!
Re: opposites, word-wise
Posted: Thu May 21, 2020 11:08 am
by Undried Plum
Sanction. One word, two opposite meanings.
We sanctioned (in the negative sense)the racist government of Rhodesia and we also sanctioned (in the positive sense) the establishment of democracy in Zimbabwe.
Re: opposites, word-wise
Posted: Thu May 21, 2020 12:03 pm
by Capetonian
There are other words that have opposite meanings and can confuse, although none comes to mind at this moment.
I wasn't aware that democracy had been established in 'Zimbabwe' and I doubt if the people who are suffering there under the despotic 'government' of a bunch of murdering terrorists are aware of that either. Perhaps democracy is one of those words that can have opposite meanings too, as there is nothing democratic about the way the country is being run. The same applies south of the Limpopo since 1994.
Re: opposites, word-wise
Posted: Thu May 21, 2020 1:23 pm
by Undried Plum
Capetonian wrote: ↑Thu May 21, 2020 12:03 pm
I wasn't aware that democracy had been established in 'Zimbabwe'
Yup. It happened in 1980.
I personally flew scores of ballot boxes to and from dozens of rural polling stations and carried them to a counting station.
'Twas the only time in my life when I flew with a loaded pistol on my hip. Fortunately the mighty righty whiteys didn't actually attack us.
Many may not like the result of the ballot, but it did happen. The problem was that whitey drew the boundaries of Rhodesia without regard to tribal geography. Just red lines on a topo map without and regard for human geography. Never designed with the idea of democracy in mind.
Re: opposites, word-wise
Posted: Thu May 21, 2020 3:41 pm
by Capetonian
Ah yes, African democracy, where the ruling party, or the one that has been chosen by outside interference to win, goes round intimidating or killing anyone who might not vote for it.
You put your vote into this wooden box. If you don't, we will put you into that wooden box.
One man, one vote, one candidate, one election, once.
Millions of lives would have been saved if that so-called transition to 'democracy' in Rhodesia hadn't taken place, but it was what the liberal lefty hypocrites wanted, to get rid of Ian Smith regardless of the human suffering that would entail.
Re: opposites, word-wise
Posted: Thu May 21, 2020 4:40 pm
by Undried Plum
Yup, democracy can be a bitch. You can end up with all sorts of horrors from a democratic vote. Attila the Hen and Adolph Hitler and Mugabe are just three such examples.
If the US had been a democracy they'd have ended up with Hilary at the last election and Al Bore in a previous one.
Re: opposites, word-wise
Posted: Thu May 21, 2020 6:25 pm
by larsssnowpharter
Another word with opposite, or close to, meanings is the verb 'to cleave'.
Can mean 'split asunder' or a 'coming together', often in the carnal sense.
So UP, you also took part in Operation Avila. On Pumas if you were flying the ballot boxes, I take it?
Re: opposites, word-wise
Posted: Thu May 21, 2020 8:48 pm
by probes
Ach, Africa...
how on Earth did it get messed up that much.
ian16th wrote: ↑Thu May 21, 2020 10:40 am
An Air Canada 'spokesman' talking about the future and of the 737-Max being "ungrounded"!
- that's the crown jewel. If something is ungrounded, will it go up or down the ground?
Re: opposites, word-wise
Posted: Thu May 21, 2020 8:54 pm
by ian16th
probes wrote: ↑Thu May 21, 2020 8:48 pm
Ach, Africa...
how on Earth did it get messed up that much.
ian16th wrote: ↑Thu May 21, 2020 10:40 am
An Air Canada 'spokesman' talking about the future and of the 737-Max being "ungrounded"!
- that's the crown jewel. If something is ungrounded, will it go up or down the ground?
In my book 'ungrounded' is the 'Merican version of the earth connection is open circuit!
Re: opposites, word-wise
Posted: Thu May 21, 2020 9:05 pm
by Undried Plum
larsssnowpharter wrote: ↑Thu May 21, 2020 6:25 pm
So UP, you also took part in Operation Avila. On Pumas if you were flying the ballot boxes, I take it?
Nope. Jetbangers.
Unarmed for the occasion other than a 9mm pistol on my hip and a BSAP bloke (reflectivity non-disclosed here) in the back with an SLR.