Language & Grammar discussion

I wasn't quite sure where to put this but think I'm in the right place. Have you guys ever heard of the term, "Oxymoron"? I've been trying to think of some but think of too much. So far, I have pretty ugly, act natural, buried alive, efficient procrastinating, you park on a driveway... That's it. I'm actually not sure that the last one even qualifies... Any ideas for more?

Friendly fire? I saw a bunch of these in an art exhibition once, but only remember that one from there. Passive-aggressive is another. Often claiming something is an oxymoron is used to point out incredulity at something, which is not a true oxymoron, like a sunny day in Dublin or a good self-published book ;)
Buried alive is not a true oxymoron, as you could be buried alive, buried does not mean dead? Idiot savant would be an oxymoron I think.

Military Intelligence, and Jumbo Shrimp.

At the risk of being political (sorry), Presidential Integrity. For several different presidents.

Good ones, everyone! :) I especially like Jumbo Shrimp! :) I like shrimp...

I encountered two more recently: Dressy Casual (party invite) and Airline Food.

Joanne wrote: "Military Intelligence, and Jumbo Shrimp."

Those are the two that came immediately to my mind.

MEN WORKING (if you see the sign along the highway)

hot water heater

good one

icy hot (a product for muscle ache)

pretty ugly

100% genuine artificial

$5 FREE love reading

low taxes

civil war

January thaw

May I toss in two redundancies?

I just heard a commentator on NPR describe a problem as "a difficult tightrope." I have never been on an easy tightrope, but I'm not that athletic.

And then there is my all time favorite: 3 AM in the morning. As opposed to 3 AM at night?

Alas, "Government Secrets"

Quiet fury

common insight

Sign seen at Zoo this past week: welcome our newborn Baby Giant Panda!

Portia wrote: "May I toss in two redundancies?

I just heard a commentator on NPR describe a problem as "a difficult tightrope." I have never been on an easy tightrope, but I'm not that athletic.

And then there..."
3 am in the morning I'd think is more accurate, if anyone wants to be picky--midnight marks the change from one day to the next...

Baby giant, yes. Or giant dwarf (for stars). And icy hot (for muscle liniment).

In truth, the zoo people are so thrilled that the little female panda is [knock on wood], they can be excused by the rest of us. BUT, just this once;-)

To extend it, "baby" in front of any so-named animal works oxymoronically. Baby giant anaconda. Baby giant anteater. Baby New York Giant.

How long is an infant? One month? Six?

Have you ever been short with someone at great length?

At 5 ft. I'm short with everyone ALL the time. Which reminds me that my father's definition of even tempered was "Mad as hell ALL the time."
Sorry for wandering off thread.

With wit and wisdom like that, wander at will.

Specially since those of us who do wander think we are being brilliant and not in need of. OH!! Seen on the underline of CNN this past Friday: Can John Boener reign in his party? To thee I gleefully pass, grammar, tone , and tempo gurus.
Best from
Portia

I guess CNN had no money to buy a consonant.

I Love "Mad as hell all the time - even tempered".

The best one I ever heard was a description on network radio some years ago describing a meeting OPEC in Switzerland as a meeting of the Opeckers. Nearly wrecked the car.

That's a good one!

Is smooth texture an oxymoron? To me, texture denote something, not nothing, but I may be wrong.

Newengland wrote: "MEN WORKING (if you see the sign along the highway)"

In Michigan the signs always said SLOW MEN WORKING. Even back then I kept asking why they couldn't hire faster working men.

Oh, c'mon, you were too literal! :)

I vote that we brand terms like "Military Intelligence," which are not true oxymorons, rhetorical oxymorons."

No, no, wait. I revote! I vote that we brand terms like "Military Intelligence" moronoxymorons.

Deafening silence

Weirdly normal.

I was going to say "modern classic," but then I discovered this is highly problematic. Classically, "modern classic" would not be an oxymoron, because classically, "classic" did not mean old, only "of the highest class." The idea that "classic" implies something old or of a bygone era is a modern development in usage.

So "modern classic" is a modern oxymoron, but classically it would be pure oxy... not moronic... and maybe not classic?....

hmmm... I just realized that I talked myself out of understanding what "classic" means. Don't you hate when that happens?

Talk long enough and a debate will break out!

doppelganger escapes

singular double

Sweet sorrow.

heavy air

Frigidaire stove

government accountability

White Nights

Friendly fire

Icy Hot (it's a product for muscle pain... also for morons on oxy).

I had a General Electric gas dryer.

The oxymoron being "General Electric" or "gas dryer"?

I felt it would be Electric and gas

I've never thought "pretty ugly" is a good example of an oxymoron, because "pretty" here is clearly used in the sense of "quite," not in the sense of "beautiful." Now, if you said, "Beautifully ugly," then I'd say it's an oxymoron.

Of course, that goes for a lot of oxymorons, like civil war. "Civil" here obviously doesn't mean "polite." Only if it did would it be a true oxymoron, in my opinion.

Now, sweet sorrow, deafening silence--those are true oxymorons.

Virtuous wrongdoing
Definite maybe