It is the plural of oxymoron. Yes, it is. So is oxymorons.
Would I lie to you?
According to dictionary.com, an oxymoron is a figure of speech by which a locution produces an incongruous, seemingly self-contradictory effect, as in “cruel kindness” or “to make haste slowly.”
Here are some more
open secret
larger half
clearly confused
act naturally
alone together
Hell's Angels
found missing
liquid gas
deafening silence
seriously funny
living dead
jumbo shrimp
Advanced BASIC
tragic comedy
unbiased opinion
virtual reality
definite maybe
original copies
pretty ugly
same difference
plastic glasses
almost exactly
constant variable
even odds
minor crisis
extinct life
genuine imitation
exact estimate
only choice
freezer burn
working holiday
rolling stop
free trade
peacekeeper missile
sweet tart
crash landing
now then
sweet sorrow
student teacher
silent scream
taped live
good grief
tight slacks
living dead
old news
hot chili
criminal justice
peace force
Can you think of more?
Microsoft Works is not an oxymoron. It may be mildly amusing, even aggravating, that Microsoft does not always work as you think it should, but Microsoft Works is not an oxymoron. Neither is Great Depression. Mountainous Depression, now that would be an oxymoron.
If you were confused by the title of this post, if you expected something else, if perhaps a tune you can’t quite place is running through your head, click here (2:31).
There, now, don’t you feel better?
Military Intelligence.
ReplyDeleteHonest Politician.
I'll keep thinking.
What about American culture, American education and American English? Ha! Ha! Anarchy Rules!
ReplyDeleteADRIAN (why do you keep shouting?) and Yorkshire P., neither one of you was paying attention. Your examples are perceptions, conclusions you have made, perhaps even from experience, of the mildly amusing, even aggravating, variety -- but they are not (in my opinion) oxymorons.
ReplyDeleteAnd just what is wrong with my English besides omitting an occasional "u", replacing an "s" with a "z", changing an "re" ending into an "er" now and then, and...I see your point.
Now I'm going to shout.....
ReplyDeleteFRIENDLY FIRE!
Post Script. RWM. Please excuse us.
ReplyDeleteAdrian, yes! "Friendly fire" qualifies as an oxymoron, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteWho is RWM?
RWM is Rhymes With Muppet - your country cousin and alter ego. BTW (By the way) I must protest that all of my examples were indeed oxymorons. PERIOD!
ReplyDeleteCivil war
ReplyDeleteGary, that's a good one!
ReplyDeleteI described something a while ago to a friend as being 'disturbingly pleasurable', and we reckoned that one up as an oxymoron. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteAll Consuming, I definitely think "disturbingly pleasurable" qualifies as an oxymoron.
ReplyDeleteAll Consuming, I definitely think "disturbingly pleasurable" qualifies as an oxymoron.
ReplyDelete