English anomalies

[The Statman]

I am looking to compile some anomalies of the English language, and wonder if anyone can add to the following list:

A teacher might comment "outstanding work" and give you a gold star, but comment "work outstanding" and give you a detention.

A government might sanction something it approves of, but put sanctions against something that it disapproves of.

When you wind up a watch you start it, but when you wind up a journey you end it.

When the stars are out they are visible, but when the lights are out they are invisible.

You leave something in the car, but on the bus.

To fill in a form is the same as filling it out.

A somersault is called a head-over-heels, and yet your head normally is over your heels.

Quite a lot and quite a few mean the same, yet a wise man and a wise guy are opposites.

....any more?

[mcmanusrules]

Fat chance/slim chance

[Obligation]

There is no egg in eggplant,

nor ham in hamburger

[Obligation]

neither apple nor pine in pineapple

[Obligation]

English muffins weren't invented in England

or French fries in France.

[Obligation]

Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat.

[Obligation]

quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

[Obligation]

And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham?

[Obligation]

If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth beeth?

[Obligation]

One goose, two geese. So one moose, two meese?

..One index, two indices? One Kleenex, two Kleenices?

[Obligation]

Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend?


..that you comb through annals of history but not a single annal?

[Obligation]

If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it?

[Obligation]

If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught?


If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat?

[Obligation]

If you wrote a letter, perhaps you bote your tongue?

[Obligation]

In what language do people recite at a play and play at a recital?