"Sanction" is an interesting word, in that, depending on context, it can have diametrically opposing meanings. [Wikipidia]

this was brought home to me in reading Edmund Morris's Theodore Rex:

The memos were classified Confidential, Private, and Personal. Root filed them, knowing such strictures, in Roosevelt's parlance, usually meant "Hold for Publication." He had hardly done so, indeed, before Congress asked for documents relating to Miles's insinuations, and the President sanctioned their release.

boy, howdy! hi, Faldage that's not too ambiguous (upon reflection, he clearly approved their release) -- especially as, 10 pages earlier you can find this:

Plunging deep into sociological theory, Knox postulated the "underlying laws" that linked all social and industrial movements, and the common-law "sanctions" that prompted them. Was it rash of the President to seek sanctions of his own?

here's the AHD4 view: http://www.bartleby.com/61/2/S0060200.html

is there a list somewhere of these delightful delights? or is that delightless? or maybe Elights? or Alights?

hey, who turned out the lights?

there've been several threads; here's one I unearthed via a search for contranym:
http://wordsmith.org/board/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=words&Number=443

(make sure your profile allows for long threads (i.e., 99 posts per page), to avoid the Old Long Thread Syndrome)

'Sanctions' when used to mean:
4a. A law or decree. b. The penalty for noncompliance specified in a law or decree.
5. A penalty, specified or in the form of moral pressure, that acts to ensure compliance or conformity.
6. A coercive measure adopted usually by several nations acting together against a nation violating international law ,
is however restricted in its usage isn't it, to only the macrocosm of polito-economic contexts. If this is right, tsuwm, would a word that has a contrary meaning in a restricted context, also be elgible for contranym status?

that was much fun, joe, thanks!

where are all those people?

if it would be better not to reply to that, I will understand.

>would a word that has a contrary meaning in a restricted context, also be elgible for contranym status?

In more modern language every measure is called a sanction which is intended to further the observation of the law by subjects, whether the reward to whomsoever fulfills it, or the penalty or chastisement inflicted or at least threatened for nonfulfilment, whether it relates to presciptive laws which require something to be done, or to prohibitive laws which require that something be omitted. These sanctions in turn may result from the very nature of the law, which are internal sanctions like those of the natural law, or they may be added by a positive act of the lagislator, and these are external sanctions. Hence sanction is called moral, psychological, legal, or penal, according to the origin or the nature of it.
[Catholic Encyclopedia]

I'd venture to say that we laypeople ought to steer clear of this contranym, for fear of our everlasting souls! <g>

well, I certainly don't think I want any penal sanction, do I?

I am *still reading this and I think, I shall give this whole contranym story a wide berth.

The two words that I agree completely, with no confusion at all, in tsuwm's link to the past, were 'overlook and revel'.

This thread got me thinking about what words mean to each one of us and how we relate to them. Some people immediately connect to the fun with words, like many of the frequent posters in the Wordplay and fun corner. Word fun comes so easy to all of them and they are able to play games with words too very well. Me, I struggle with this. Give me a word game and I will sit down with pen and paper and crinkle my forehead and be industious about the acitivity,w which is not the point of the game at all![very big sigh] But, I ENJOY words, I like to dissect them, and the element of words that appeals most to me is the sentiment that they convey. When confronted with metaphors, I am at my happiest. What is it like with you?

EDIT: Thanks, eta! Lovely link!