Have you ever wondered why some expressions seem to really contradict themselves, or why things that sound similar actually mean the opposite?
Here are some good examples of these to think about…
- Is it good if a vacuum really sucks?
- Why is the third hand on the watch called the second hand?
- If a word is misspelled in the dictionary, how would we ever know?
- If Webster wrote the first dictionary, where did he find the words?
- Why do we say something is out of whack? What is a whack?
- Why do “slow down” and “slow up” mean the same thing?
- Why do “fat chance” and “slim chance” mean the same thing?
- Why do ‘tug’ boats push their barges instead of tugging them?
- Why do we sing “Take me out to the ball game” when we are already there?
- Why are they called “stands” when they are made for sitting?
- Why is it called “after dark” when it really is “after light” ?
- Doesn’t ‘expecting the unexpected” make the unexpected expected?
- Why do “wise man” and “wise guy” mean the opposite thing?
- Why do “overlook” and “oversee” mean the opposite of each other?
- Why is phonics not spelled the way it sounds?
- If work is so terrific, why do they have to pay you to do it?
- If all the world is a stage, where is the audience sitting?
- If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular?
- If you are cross-eyed and have dyslexia, can you read all right?
- Why is bra singular and panties plural?
- Why do you press harder on the buttons of a remote control when you know the batteries are dead?
- Why do we put suits in garment bags and garments in a suitcase?
- How come abbreviated is such a long word?
- Why do we wash bath towels? Aren’t we clean when we use them?
- Why doesn’t glue stick to the inside of the bottle?
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