The Art of the Oxymoron
A Moderately Riviting and Somewhat Comprehensive Guide to the Oxymoron
An oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines two normally contradictory terms. In their purest form, the very definitions of the words are contradictory (Jumbo Shrimp). But, then there are the opinionated ones. for which the words do not contradict each other, but together there is a contradiction in their opinion (Military Intelligence).
The word 'oxymoron' comed from the Greek words 'oxy' meaning sharp and 'moros' meaning dull, making 'oxymoron' is itself an oxymoron.
Technically the plural of 'oxymoron' is 'oxymora', not 'oxymorons', however since 'oxymorons' is so commonly used, and the language is for the people, by the people, I'll use them interchangeably.
The Oxymoron Song
This should have been a Schoolhouse Rock song! This song is comprised almost entirely of Oxymorons. The name of this song is "Untitled." Performed by Dave & Andy at the Comic Strip Live in New York. Find more funny songs at MySpace SelectedHilarity or selectedhilarity.com
Movie Title Oxymorons
- True Lies
- Eyes Wide Shut
- Urban Cowboy
- Little Big Man
- Fairy Tale: A True Story
Shakespeare's Oxymorons
This page has a TON of Shakespeare's oxymorons.
A Few Oxymora
- Mild hot sauce
- Minor catastrophe
- Plastic silverware
- Butt head
- Bittersweet
- Authentic reproduction
Further Oxymoron Reading
There are a countless number of oxymora floating around out there. These sites have gathered up a bunch for you.
- Oxymorons.info
List of Oxymorons categorized by subject and other criteria. - Ethan's Oxymorons Page
Big list of oxymorons. - Oxymora: The List
A comprehensive listing of oxymorons. - OxymoronList.com
Huge list of oxymora
Oxymorons
- practical joke
- pretty ugly
- perfectly awful
- soft rock
- sound of silence
- sweet tart
- white gold
A Few More
- holy hell
- hard pillow
- Industrial Park
- ironwood
- less is more
- least favorite
Oh, That Shakespeare and his Oxymoronic Words
Shakespeare was a big fan of oxymorons. He used them often to express emotions, that are often as mixed in meaning as the words are...
"Parting is such sweet sorrow." Romeo and Juliet Act 2, Scene 2
"So foul and fair a day I have not seen!" Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 3
"O brawling love! O loving hate! / O anything of nothing first create! / O heavy lightness, serious vanity! / Misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms! / Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health!" Romeo and Juliet, Act 1, Scene 1
"Do that good mischief which may make this island thine own forever..." The Tempest, Act 4 scene 1
"A tedious brief scene of young Pyramus
And his love Thisby; very tragical mirth.'
Merry and tragical! tedious and brief!
That is hot ice and wondrous strange snow."
A Midsummer Night's Dream, Act 5, Scene 1
Great Computer Oxymorons
- advanced BASIC
- Microsoft Works (my personal favorite)
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Certified Solution Developer
- Java standard
More
- liquid smoke
- Live Recording
- Middle East
- maxi thins
- more perfect
- modern history
- once again
Know an awfully good oxymoron?
