words with contradictory meanings

"peak" in contemp UK slang is closer to bad luck or tough shit, I think: That's peak (for you). certainly the way my kids use it. makes me think of pique.

So “peak” is the equivalent of how very old Americans say “Doesn’t that beat all!”

xpost yeah mine too. but i think it started out as something more intense like whoa fuck, worst moment ever

Cacaphemism is reverse euphemism m, like referring to your spouse as the ol' ball and chain or your car as a jalopy

Sports writers will often talk about a player who, on the cusp of a big career decision, resigns, which means they've inked a new contract with their existing club

Yeah, that one's tripped me up a few times...

that took me a while

It's not the word 'resign', so not a contradictory meaning. It's 'sign' with the prefix 're' added. That's why it should be hyphenated, to avoid the ambiguity.

I debated that for awhile before including on this thread but the two different words are both spelled the same way so it is the same "word" in that respect

apparently that's called a piecewise doublet. i think it's close enough for the thread, or at least i found it interesting

the two different words are both spelled the same way so it is the same "word" in that respect

Yes, that's true, but only when you omit the hyphen. I like hyphens. Unfortunately, some people think we should dispense with hyphens as much as possible. They say hyphens make text look 'fussy' or 'messy', but they serve various purposes. But where there's no ambiguity, I'm fine with omitting them, just not in cases like this.

I like hyphens too and wish the "X-, Y- and Z-free" format didn't seem to be dying out. I'd welcome "Free from X, Y and Z". But you get e.g. "This jewellery is nickel and tin free".