"words with no apparent reverse as an opposite" Topic

Have you ever met anyone who is:
gruntled (disgruntled)

ept (inept)

feckfull (feckless)

corrigible (incorrigible)

whelmed ( as opposed to being over or under whelmed)

There are a number of these not listed here – I'd be interested in any others y'all might have

The one I always have thought funny is where the opposite means the same thing as the original.

Flammable=Inflammable

???

Languages are just… odd. Same as people I guess.

I've met a few fecking clowns in my time. A few other fecking clowns.

I always thought that "disgruntled" has no opposite form either, but according to Merriam-Webster online dictionary, it does.

Disgruntled, feckless, incorrigible and under/overwhelmed all have antonyms according to my copy of the COED

"gruntle" dial. utter little grunts or squeals
"feck" C16 Scots dial. 'effeck' – 'effect'
"corrigible" capable of being corrected or reformed
"whelm" v. submerge, bury; n. a surge of water

:0)

Most of them do have opposites, they are just not used.

We have all used the term "ruthless," especially when someone is rolling hot on the gaming table and no mercy is shown.

But the opposite is "ruthful" where the person is full of sorrow. And both, of course, use the same root word "ruth" meaning compassion. But we never use them.

I like to be considered gormful. I am just chock full of gorm.

How about dishevelled, you are not normally shevelled are you?

No, because the word comes from deschevelé, not dis-anything.

One of my favorite sites:

link

Flammable=Inflammable

That's because, in this case, the "in" prefix is not a negator, but from latin "in" meaning "in" as in: "in flames"

Flammable is actually a word created from Inflammable because people wrongly thought "inflammable" meant "couldn't burn". And so got burned…

try this: link

RR

Flammable=Inflammable

That's because, in this case, the "in-" prefix is not a negator, but intensifies the word (like "enflamed")

"Flammable" is actually a word created from "Inflammable" because people wrongly thought "inflammable" meant "couldn't burn". And so they got burned…

try this: link

RR

How I Met My Wife by Jack Winter
Published 25 July 1994, The New Yorker

It had been a rough day, so when I walked into the party I was very
chalant, despite my efforts to appear gruntled and consolate. I was
furling my wieldy umbrella for the coat check when I saw her standing
alone in a corner. She was a descript person, a woman in a state of
total array. Her hair was kempt, her clothing shevelled, and she moved
in a gainly way. I wanted desperately to meet her, but I knew I'd have
to make bones about it since I was traveling cognito.

Beknownst to me, the hostess, whom I could see both hide and hair of,
was very proper, so it would be skin off my nose if anything bad
happened. And even though I had only swerving loyalty to her, my
manners couldn't be peccable. Only toward and heard-of behavior would
do. Fortunately, the embarrassment that my maculate appearance might
cause was evitable. There were two ways about it, but the chances that
someone as flappable as I would be ept enough to become persona grata
or a sung hero were slim. I was, after all, something to sneeze at,
someone you could easily hold a candle to, someone who usually aroused
bridled passion.

So I decided not to risk it. But then, all at once, for some apparent
reason, she looked in my direction and smiled in a way that I could
make heads or tails of. I was plussed. It was concerting to see that
she was communicado, and it nerved me that she was interested in a
pareil like me, sight seen.

Normally, I had a domitable spirit, but, being corrigible, I felt
capacitated -- as if this were something I was great shakes at -- and
forgot that I had succeeded in situations like this only a told number
of times. So, after a terminable delay, I acted with mitigated gall and
made my way through the ruly crowd with strong givings.

Nevertheless, since this was all new hat to me and I had no time to
prepare a promptu speech, I was petuous. Wanting to make only
called-for remarks, I started talking about the hors d'oeuvres, trying
to abuse her of the notion that I was sipid, and perhaps even bunk a
few myths about myself. She responded well, and I was mayed that she
considered me a savory character who was up to some good. She told me
who she was. "What a perfect nomer," I said, advertently. The
conversation became more and more choate, and we spoke at length to
much avail. But I was defatigable, so I had to leave at a godly hour. I
asked if she wanted to come with me. To my delight, she was committal.
We left the party together and have been together ever since. I have
given her my love, and she has requited it.

Thanks!! I LOVE IT!!!!

That was hilarious!

How many of us are hinged? (As opposed to un …)

Or done? ("Alas, I am undone!" Never, "Hooray, I am done!")

It turns out the opposite of disgruntled is eugruntled. You know, peeved in a good way, just like doctors say there is good stress & bad stress, there is bad gruntlement and good gruntlement.

The opposite of flammable is nonflammable.

(I presume that is a typo for engruntled above).

I always wondered if, since one can be de-bauched, one can also be bauched?

Tricks

"Alas, I am undone!" Never, "Hooray, I am done!"

I dunno, Sue. I've said "Hooray, I'm done!" frequently. Usually after particularly onerous tasks like painting a room, cleaning the basement, etc.

So what's the opposite of "Pro-gress?"

Why, "con-gress" of course.

Until you look at context and wonder how that applies to the term "sexual congress".

Terrement Supporting

ept (inept)

feckfull (feckless)

corrigible

All three, in Dorothy. L. Sayers books. Particularly the Lord Peter Wimsey ones.

Isn't ept --> apt?

And why does fat chance mean a similar thing to slim chance?

So what's the opposite of "Pro-gress?"

Err….regress?

Ralph