According to m-W.com gruntle is “to put in a good humor.” The etymology is the back formation is disgruntle. Does anyone know why this could be?
Hi Riley381. When commenting on Cecil’s columns it is considered courtesy to link to that column. Disgruntled
Cecil says:
What other words have it as an intensifier?
Some Googling gives “dissever” and “disembowel” as other examples of intensifier usage.
How about distress? It certainly isn’t the lack of stress.
no, distress would be the lack of tress, but that doesn’t exactly work.
My personal favorite is flammable and inflammable, which for some reason mean the same thing.
Bo
I have also wondered why we have carpenters, but we never talk about anyone carpenting. Never once in my life have I been told to go carpent some stairs or a bookcase, etc.
What’s up with that?
Bo
That’s what “back-formation” means. Enough people have Iin this case, incorrectly) used “gruntle” to mean “the opposite of disgruntle” that it now counts as a meaning in its own right.
“Inflammable” is the correct word; it means something that can be “inflamed” (or “enflamed”). But both the word and the “i” spelling of “en-” have fallen out of general use, and people started misunderstanding it – in this case, often with fatal results. So “flammable” was invented as a safer substitute.
We have persuade as the opposite of dissuade , so why not pergruntle as the opposite of disgruntle ??? 
I’ve used “gruntled” before in conversation.
I’ve also found my cats to be extremely chalant when I come home after a long trip…
Interesting sequitur, Tierce.
I spect that.
[sub]Obviously, “respect” is to spect again.[/sub]
Wow! You guys must really like this column. This is the first time I’ve seen a column twice on the Straight Dope home page. Couldn’t you let the first one roll off the bottom before reusing it?
I would love to know what Cecil’s personal favorite is. But I kinda doubt that this is it.
I thought that the opposite of disgruntle was datgruntle.
Is the opposite of opposite apposite here?
Only if I can mention that the antinym of synonym is antinym
How can there be a thread about “gruntle” with no mention of the Rip Off Press, publishers of the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers?
“Millions of gruntled customers”
That can probably be feased.