As we run the run of the route in rehearsal, I run the company’s schedule so the show runs on time, the engine runs and the lights run off backup power while the road runs north along a river that runs high and the dye might run in the rain, and as the contract runs a year and a rumor runs through town, I run for office to keep the operation running smoothly, avoid a run on supplies, keep late cues from running over, prevent us from running out of time or letting costs run up, run through notes and run them by the team, run tests and run the numbers, run lines until they run together, run a tight ship so nothing runs afoul of the rules, run risks we can afford, run hot when we must, and keep the whole run unbroken.
“off” is one my favourites. The alarm went OFF so we had to turn it OFF. It means the opposite of itself.
“Sanction” is another example. Your actions were not sanctioned by us, so as retaliation we’re introducing sanctions against you.
Fun fact: there’s a word for words like that, they’re called contronyms.
As we run the run of the route in rehearsal, I run the company’s schedule so the show runs on time, the engine runs and the lights run off backup power while the road runs north along a river that runs high and the dye might run in the rain, and as the contract runs a year and a rumor runs through town, I run for office to keep the operation running smoothly, avoid a run on supplies, keep late cues from running over, prevent us from running out of time or letting costs run up, run through notes and run them by the team, run tests and run the numbers, run lines until they run together, run a tight ship so nothing runs afoul of the rules, run risks we can afford, run hot when we must, and keep the whole run unbroken.
You can cleave something apart, but the halves might cleave together.
I’ve always liked that “flammable” and “inflammable” mean the same thing.