“Oh, I am so gruntled!” he peated.
“You’re what? She raised a ruly eyebrow and patted her kempt dark hair.
‘Gruntled,” he repeated. “Full of effeable joy.”
I found myself awake in the night and rather than going back to sleep, my brain
started thinking about words that should have opposites but don’t. At least not in common use. (Weird but
an improvement on when my brain wants to start listing all the people I know
who’ve died.)
So yesterday I spent time with Mr. Google . . .
Disgruntled means dissatisfied and gruntled was indeed a word that meant satisfied. It’s just fallen out of use.
Feckless—lacking purpose or effect. Feck is a Scots word meaning effect. Also, in Ireland as a more couth replacement for f__k.
Repeat (peat)—there does not seem to be a use of peat to mean say. Just that stuff in a bog.
Ruthless -- feeling no pity, there is no word ruth meaning feeling pity or compassion—ruthless likely came from rue, as in He rued the day he invited the ruthless killer on board.
There were more that occurred to me--
Uncouth--
Unscathed
Unkempt
Unruly
Ineffable
Indomitable
And I found some good links that show I’m not alone in wondering about this stuff. HERE is one. And here is ANOTHER.
Where will my brain go next time I can't sleep?
