Word of the Day -- Oxymoron

This one always gets me because it points out the vagaries and idiosyncrasies of our dear English language:

Oxymoron -- a figure of speech that uses opposing words for emphasis.

Think: act naturally, proud humility, deafening silence. These contradictions serve to make someone pause and think about the effect of the words. Other times, they add a little drama for listeners or readers. Instead of creating conflict, the oddity of an oxymoronic pair of words just works.

If those weren't enough, here are a few more: 

• Growing smaller
• Jumbo shrimp
• Only choice
• Open secret
• Original copy
• Painfully beautiful
• Passive aggressive
• Random order

So you can see, we are an interesting lot, us oxymoronics!