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by T4 on April 3rd, 2007

T4

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Wat is an oxymoron?

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Answers. 19 helpful answers below.

  • by Jennifer on April 3rd, 2007

    Jennifer

    A paradox of 2 words. The 2 words conflict with each other in some way.

    "Microsoft Works"
    "Military Intelligence"
    "Genuine Imitation"
    etc
    etc

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  • by Snowman on November 23rd, 2007

    Snowman

    Oxymoron: One who does not know how to use pimple medication.

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  • by Rage Of Reason on November 23rd, 2007

    Rage Of Reason

    Any word or phrase that directly contradicts itself, such as:

    Military Intelligence
    Baby Grand (Piano)
    Light Heavyweight (Boxer)
    Democratic Hopeful
    Microsoft Works
    Deafening Silence (literary)
    Tragic Comedy (literary)
    Reality Television

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  • by JTP on November 23rd, 2007

    JTP

    Normally Two words that mean the opposite example:

    Honest Politician.

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  • by DA BEN DAN yanggui zi on November 23rd, 2007

    DA BEN DAN yanggui zi

    two or more words used together that are opposite in meaning...like:
    Jumbo shrimp
    Military Intelligence
    small catastrophe

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  • by GiraffeyedDonor-ish on November 23rd, 2007

    GiraffeyedDonor-ish

    An oxymoron (plural oxymorons or, more rarely, oxymora) is a figure of speech that combines two normally contradictory terms. Oxymoron is a loanword from Greek oxy ("sharp") and moros ("dull"). Thus the word oxymoron is itself an oxymoron.

    An oxymoron is used mainly to create humour thus, for example leading an audience watching a play, to think about what's happening and give them a deeper more meaningful understanding of the text.

    Oxymorons are a proper subset of the expressions called contradictions in terms. What distinguishes oxymorons from other paradoxes and contradictions is that they are used intentionally, for rhetorical effect, and the contradiction is only apparent, as the combination of terms provides a novel expression of some concept, such as "cruel to be kind".

    The most common form of oxymoron involves an adjective-noun combination. For example, the following line from Tennyson's Idylls of the King contains two oxymorons:

    "And faith unfaithful kept him falsely true"

    Oxymorons can also be wooden irons in that they are in violation of the Principle of contradiction which asserts that nothing can be thought if it contains contradictory characteristics, predicates, attributes, or qualities.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxymoron

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  • by Halskiisaklink on November 23rd, 2007

    Halskiisaklink

    A two-word phrase or the like which contradicts itself by definition - such as American Military Intelligence. *Explodes is a disarray of friendly fire*

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  • by LynfromNM on November 23rd, 2007

    LynfromNM

    It's words or a phrase that seem to contradict themselves, like "civil war", "jumbo shrimp". The word oxymoron itself is an oxymoron, because "oxy" comes from the Greek word for "sharp" and "moron" means dull.

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  • by U..P.. on November 23rd, 2007

    U..P..

    Two contradictory words put together.
    -Dirty Soap
    -Bitter-sweet
    -Old news
    -Same difference

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  • by Jade on November 23rd, 2007

    Jade

    Billy Mayes..oh sorry..he's an oxyCLEAN moron.

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  • by Sheriff Raff -Answerhag on November 23rd, 2007

    Sheriff Raff -Answerhag

    i think common sense is a great one

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  • by MKay on November 23rd, 2007

    MKay

    It's a word that contradicts itself, like "jumbo-shrimp".

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  • by haggis on November 24th, 2007

    haggis

    peace enforcer

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  • by rdrainer on November 23rd, 2007

    rdrainer

    "Polite Frenchman"

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  • by Lemonyellow Di Vintage on November 23rd, 2007

    Lemonyellow Di Vintage

    chinaman

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  • by helme on December 19th, 2011

    helme

    integrigous tyrant.

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  • by Crowsnest on December 19th, 2011

    Crowsnest

    A combination of Moron and Oxygen ?

    Just joking, sorry. :-(

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  • by Marky Mark on December 19th, 2011

    Marky Mark

    A Neo-Darwinian

    (On second thoughts that might just be a moron. .. ;-))

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  • by helme on December 19th, 2011

    helme

    humane cock fight.

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