Intimate 2 1. To make known subtly and indirectly; hint. See synonyms at suggest. 2. To announce; proclaim. So, whether you subtly hint at something or stand on a chair and proclaim it, you are still intimating the information. I think that is interesting, don't you? Do you know of any other such words that can act as their own antonym?
Perhaps it is due to the difficulty in discerning the usage of the word. As with some words in the English language, if you read or read the context of the sentence then you might be able to extrapolate the meaning of a particular word. Such as the read or read, one was present tense, one was past tense. Anyway, the word intimate... to be intimate is different than to intimate your feelings. I think. I know that one definition of the word relates to deep, close, and personal. The other definition is to communicate, perhaps with subtlety. That probably didn't do much to refute your argument. Ah well. Good find though.
Even with an announcement, I think it implies hesitancy. Have you got a dictionary reference,Oneraven. Thought. Why did they make dyslexia such a hard word to spell?
Not as far as I am aware. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Because they are cruel enough to use the word lisp. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
There is a whole family of them. The only one that springs to mind is "cleave." I'll try to find a list. BTW, I've never heard "intimate" used in the second way. I wonder how rare that is. I'm fairly certain it's not on that list because I would have wondered what it's doing there and learned the second meaning.
What's so hard about it? "Dys-" is a common Greek prefix for things that don't work right: dysfunction, dysentery. "Lex-" is a common Greek root for things concerning words: lexicon, lexicography. Hang out on the Linguistics boards long enough and you too will know all this good stuff. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
I have never seen or heard the word "intimate" used for "to announce, proclaim". I like the American Heritage, at least up to the third ed., but that definition ought to carry some usage information - old or anachronistic, maybe? rock - as in jolt/cuddle?
The concise Oxford has the same second definition. Dr Johnson only has the familiar definition, not the second. So it's not an old usage. Has anyone got access to the OED?
I thought of another word that can serve as its own antonym... Apology. Originally it meant only a justifcation or defense of actions or beliefs. Then, in 1594, it was decided that it also means an expression of regret or contrition. If you are justifying and defending your actions, then you are NOT being contrite. Is there another word which means an expression of contrition?
