The Art of the Oxymoron
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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
curated content from YouTube
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
Oxymoron Links
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 oxymorons
Oxymorons
- practical joke
- pretty ugly
- perfectly awful
- soft rock
- sound of silence
- sweet tart
- white gold
Portrait of an Oxymoron
These photos hold so much irony, they may as well be a snapshot of an oxymoron.
curated content from Flickr
A Few More
- holy hell
- hard pillow
- Industrial Park
- ironwood
- less is more
- least favorite
Oxymoron Books
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
More oxymorons from Shakespeare
Great Computer Oxymorons
- advanced BASIC
- Microsoft Works (my personal favorite)
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Certified Solution Developer
- Java standard
Oxymoron Items
"Anarchy Rules" Baseball Jersey
Price: $25.99 
More
- liquid smoke
- Live Recording
- Middle East
- maxi thins
- more perfect
- modern history
- once again
Guestbook
Know an awfully good oxymoron?
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thatgrrl
Apr 13, 2012 @ 7:14 pm | delete
- Sharing this on Creative Writing Inspiration on http://snip.it
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TheLifestyleChanger
Mar 8, 2012 @ 6:30 pm | delete
- Oxymorons are often very clever and have sometimes become such common figures of speech that we don't event take time to consider the contradiction.
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ZodiacImmortal
Feb 10, 2012 @ 12:11 pm | delete
- Thank y ou for the oxymorons.. lol I Quite enjoyed the microsoft works as well.. as I have microsoft (but not the works program unfortunately.. I loved the templates that were on that on my old computer) I've added the lens to my Epic ballad of Poetry & I think my no bummer seaso reader
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Ladymermaid
Dec 16, 2011 @ 10:14 am | delete
- Now that you have brought the term oxymoron to my attention once again I realize that I use them quite often in my writing. I enjoy a good pun on words and taking the serious into a nonsense tone to make a point. A bit oxymoron I guess ;)
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JaguarJulie Jan 15, 2010 @ 6:56 am | delete
- I remember years ago that our local newspaper had a competition of sorts about unusual oxymorons -- they've always "fascinated" me considering I was an English major in college.
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GonnaFly
Jan 11, 2010 @ 3:24 am | delete
- Hehehe - very entertaining lens. I got this numb feeling as I read it ;-)
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another person
Dec 14, 2009 @ 12:07 am | delete
- clear fog, black rain, artificial reality
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A person
Oct 19, 2009 @ 6:07 pm | delete
- accurate election; accurate rumor; Affordable housing; A foot ahead; Air field; alone together; bigger half; Cafeteria food; classic rock&roll; wise fool (sophomore); crash landing; designer jeans; eggplant; good morning; simply complicated
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SID IS AN IDIOT
Apr 7, 2009 @ 11:38 pm | delete
- sid i hate u gaaaah you pig and chauvanist ass wipe[in reply to sid]
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sid
Nov 30, 2008 @ 6:22 pm | delete
- intelligent women; fresh pickles;flat breasted;this is the ultimate - sexual harrasment :)
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Oxymoronica
Oxymoronica: Paradoxical Wit & Wisdom From History's Greatest Wordsmiths
Amazon Price: $3.59 (as of 06/03/2012)
