Oxymorons Trivia

1. What is an oxymoron?

From Quiz Exploring Oxymorons

Answer: a rhetorical figure of speech putting together two seemingly contradictory words or ideas to reveal a deeper truth

The word is from the Greek compound adjective "oxymoros" (oxys-sharp, moros-stupid or dull) meaning "pointedly foolish." The word "oxymoron" itself illustrates the idea. As in many instances of word origin and meaning, there is widely differing opinion on what exactly constitutes an oxymoron, and whether or not certain phrases qualify.

From Quiz Synonyms to Oxymorons

Answer: jumbo shrimp

"Jumbo Shrimp" is probably one of the best known oxymorons, so that's why I started the quiz with it. But what is so 'jumbo' about being a 'shrimp'? Personally, I love "jumbo shrimp"! Especially when I have 'hot chili' sauce to dip them in! Wait a sec? Hot Chili? That sounds like an oxymoron too! *"Jumbo shrimp" means large shrimp that we can eat, but it's funny when you think of the individual meanings of the words and then put them together in a two word statement. That's basically what an 'oxymoron' is.

From Quiz Oxymorons

Answer: Cheerful pessimism

The definition of cheerful, an adjective, is joyful or glad. Pessimism means the gloomiest possible disposition or view. Let's all be cheerfully pessimistic!

From Quiz Exploring Oxymorons

Answer: "Little Big Man"

Saying that something is little and big in the same phrase is an obvious example of an oxymoron. "Little Big Man" is a 1970 Western/Comedy/Drama told through the eyes of a white man raised by Indians in the latter half of the 19th century American west. Even the phrase "American Indian" can be considered an oxymoron, since the peoples in question were not in India, and the foreigners using the label were in error. The movie presents an extensive and nuanced picture of the interaction between white settlers and Native Americans. The actual historical Little Big Man was an Oglala Lakota Indian warrior who fought with Crazy Horse and probably took part in or at least observed the Battle of Little Big Horn in June of 1876.

From Quiz Synonyms to Oxymorons

Answer: mercy killing

"Mercy killing?" What is so 'merciful' about 'killing' someone? In my world, if I was going to show 'mercy' to somebody, I wouldn't 'kill' them! There are plenty of other ways I'd rather have someone show me mercy! How about a 'humane execution'? Oops! There I go again! What's so 'humane' about an execution? So are you getting the idea of how oxymorons are so silly? *As many know, a "mercy killing" refers to taking the life of an animal who is suffering needlessly as it is beyond attainable help.

From Quiz Oxymorons

Answer: Act naturally

Act (as used here) means behaviour which is contrived or artificial. Naturally, an adverb, means of, or according to nature. So, let's all act naturally!

From Quiz Synonyms to Oxymorons

Answer: soft rock

Have you ever come upon a 'rock' that's 'soft'? I like "soft rock". It's a lot better than 'easy listening heavy metal'! Sure, we know that 'soft rock' pertains to music, but as an oxymoron it's like saying getting struck with a 'boulder' is like getting tapped with a pillow. Then again, my brother once hit me in the head with a big rock. When I woke up, my seriously apologetic brother was begging me not to rat him out. I was surprised that the stone hadn't cracked my noodle wide open, to which he commented, "Well, I really didn't want to hurt you so I used a 'soft rock'". Then the blackness rolled in again... *"Soft rock" refers to the softer side of the musical genre we know as rock and roll, or to a musician known for loud and fast songs. The band KISS performed a song called "Rock and Roll All Night" which people knew to be a 'hard rock' song. They also did an easy listening ballad called "Beth", which was usually referred to as "soft rock" because of KISS' reputation as a "hard rock musical act".

From Quiz Oxymorons

Answer: Honest crook

Honest means to be honourable, to have principles, and crook means a dishonest person, especially a swindler or thief. Anyone know an honest thief?

From Quiz Exploring Oxymorons

Answer: dead mouse/ babbling brook

"Babbling brook" is an example of alliteration. A dead mouse might be unpleasant to contemplate, but the phrase, whether referring to a deceased household pest or a computer device drained of power, doesn't have the requisite "jarring paradoxical dichotomy" to be an oxymoron. All the other phrases can be considered oxymoronic.

From Quiz Synonyms to Oxymorons

Answer: civil war

It makes one wonder how anyone can understand english when we use a word like 'civil' to describe the act of 'war'! "Civil War" has got to be one of the biggest bonehead oxymorons I can think of! What, pray tell, is so 'civil' about 'war'? Thank goodness that we at least have "military intelligence"! Military intelligence? Oops, there I go again! *A "civil war" actually refers to a conflict between different geographical areas and/or political factions from the same country. It's still a crazy two-word phrase no matter how you look at it though, because should we not be MORE civil with our fellow citizens? This is one oxymoron that really isn't funny when you think of it.

From Quiz Oxymorons

Answer: Silent scream

Silent means to make no noise. Scream means to utter a loud and sharp, piercing or shrill cry or sound. How obtuse - a perfect oxymoron!

From Quiz Exploring Oxymorons

Answer: Romeo And Juliet

These oxymorons are all found in Shakespeare's classic romantic tragedy in Act III, Scene II of the play. They are spoken by Juliet as she learns from her nurse that Romeo has killed Tybalt, her cousin. At this point she is expressing mixed emotions about her new husband. Whatever the literary device or lyric turn, chances are that the Bard of Avon set the standard with unmatched skill and creativity.

From Quiz Synonyms to Oxymorons

Answer: definite maybe

Here's one oxymoron I've used myself. So, is it "definite"? Or is it "maybe"? How can one be 'definite' if they say 'maybe'? Just doesn't work does it? If this quiz goes over well, 'maybe' I will do another one just like it. And that's a 'definite possibility'! (Gee, wouldn't "definite possibility" also be an oxymoron? That's "absolutely possible"! Hmmmm..I think I'll quit while I'm ahead.) *This is a really good example of an oxymoron because even when used in its proper form, it really doesn't make sense at all. It's used to give the listener the idea that you're 'considering a point or request the way they want you to', yet even with 'definite' at the beginning, it still means 'maybe'.

From Quiz Oxymorons

Answer: Found missing

Found is the past tense of find which means to come across, to locate, and missing is an adjective that means lacking, absent or not found! Isn't it funny how many things are found missing!

From Quiz Synonyms to Oxymorons

Answer: anxious patient

Of course we get anxious when we're a patient awaiting medical treatment. But when anxious and patient are side by side, you get a funny oxymoron that just doesn't make sense. This is a piece of advice I once received while awaiting medical treatment. I asked the nurse if it was going to be a much longer wait as I was nervous about the procedure I was to have. She told me, "It's ok to be anxious, sir. Just be patient about it." *Most of us have experienced being a 'patient' at one time in our lives, and no doubt we felt anxious about the results the doctor was going to convey. 'Patient' can also take on the meaning of being the opposite of anxious, though, making this a goofy oxymoron.

From Quiz Synonyms to Oxymorons

Answer: plastic glass

Why don't we call it a 'plastic cup' or simply a 'glass'? Would you call it a "glass plastic"? It doesn't make sense backward or forward! This is an example of an oxymoron we've all used. What have we done to English vocabulary? Oh well, what can one expect from a language in which we 'park on driveways and drive on parkways'? "Plastic glass"? Yes, I know it is a common term for referring to a plastic drinking vessel. But for the sake of alleviating confusion, why not just call it a drinking cup or vessel? The English language is strange sometimes.

From Quiz Oxymorons

Answer: Same difference

Same is when something is exactly like another thing and difference is the way in which two or more things are not the same. Same difference - similarly dissimilar!

From Quiz Exploring Oxymorons

Answer: expect the unexpected

Looking for answers? I'll give you a definite maybe here. By definition, the unexpected is not expected, therefore if you expect something, it is no longer unexpected! The conjoining of the two opposites gives you pause, makes you think, "wait a minute..." Is that clear? Was that an answerable question or a questionable answer? Perhaps both. For those who never had the pleasure as a child, a funhouse is a staple of many amusement parks where rather than just going on a ride, the patrons get to interact with a series startling noises, distortion mirrors, and other mildly scary surprises by walking through a house specially constructed to deliver the unexpected.

From Quiz Synonyms to Oxymorons

Answer: even odds

Since one of the opposites for 'even' is 'odd', how can this possibly make any sense when using the word even to describe odds? I used to bet on the horses but even if the odds ARE even, the odds are that I wouldn't even be even at the end of the evening, which gives me an odd feeling. Don't feel bad, I'm confused too. *"Even odds" is a term used for people who like to bet on sporting events, as in "what's the odds that this horse will win or what are the odds that one team defeats that team". If odds are 2 - 1 then you'd get back $4 if you bet $2 on that event, as well as your original $2. If the 'odds' are 1 - 1, it's called "even odds" and you'd receive $2 as well as your original $2 bet.

From Quiz Oxymorons

Answer: Friendly fire

Friendly means welcoming, pleasant affable. Fire, to shoot, to discharge your weapon! Friendly fire unfortunately occurs predominantly in wartime and is the shooting of your own side, not the enemy!

From Quiz Synonyms to Oxymorons

Answer: pretty ugly

Is she/he pretty or is he/she ugly? Two adjectives with completely different meanings, and yet we put them together and call the resulting phrase 'speaking English'. *The term "pretty ugly" is a nasty insult to say to anyone. When we use this term, the word pretty is being used as an adjective meaning quite or somewhat. So "pretty ugly" in a normal sense means 'fairly ugly'. Yet, inquiring minds want to know: if I called someone 'ugly pretty', would it be a compliment?

From Quiz Oxymorons

Answer: Old news

Old means from sometime in the past and news means information about recent events! Mm, tell me something I didn't already know!

From Quiz Oxymorons

Answer: Childproof

A child (kid) is a boy or girl from the time of birth until adolescence. Proof, when combined as in childproof, means protected against or not damaged by! Yeah right, a lot of childproof things are actually more likely to be adult proof!

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Last Updated Apr 27 2024 5:51 AM

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