# Antonym List
*Note: The table headings (positive/negative) are not necessarily correct.*

Positive    | Negative
------------|------------
`Acquire`   | `Release`
`Add`       | `Remove` (e.g. an item), `Subtract` (arithmetic)
`Advance`   | `Retreat`
`Allocate`  | `Deallocate` (correct), `Free` (common)
`Assemble`  | `Disassemble`
`Attach`    | `Detach`
`Begin`     | `End`
`Bind`      | `Unbind`
`Create`    | `Destroy`
`Compile`   | `Decompile`
`Compress`  | `Decompress`
`Connect`   | `Disconnect`
`Construct` | `Destruct`
`Enable`    | `Disable`
`Enqueue`   | `Dequeue`
`Enter`     | `Leave`, `Exit`
`First`     | `Last`
`Freeze`    | `Unfreeze`
`Front`     | `Back`
`Get`       | `Set`
`Import`    | `Export`
`Increase`  | `Decrease`
`Increment` | `Decrement`
`Inflate`   | `Deflate`
`Inject`    | `Eject`
`Insert`    | `Delete`
`Install`   | `Uninstall`
`Link`      | `Unlink`
`Load`      | `Unload` (e.g. a module), `Store` (e.g. a value)
`Lock`      | `Unlock`
`Minimum`   | `Maximum`
`Next`      | `Previous`
`New`       | `Old`
`Open`      | `Close`
`Push`      | `Pop`
`Read`      | `Write`
`Register`  | `Deregister`
`Select`    | `Deselect`
`Send`      | `Receive`
`Serialize` | `Deserialize`
`Set`       | `Unset` (e.g. a key), `Clear` (e.g. a bit)
`SetUp`     | `TearDown`
`Show`      | `Hide`
`Start`     | `Stop`
`StartUp`   | `ShutDown`, `CleanUp` (maybe)
`Resume`    | `Suspend`
`Up`        | `Down`

# Remarks

## Initialize
There is no precise antonym for `Initialize` and I don't think there has to be:
By using `Initialize` only for simple initializations that don't need any clean up code
(`Initialize` as its own antonym) you can

1. establish a convention through that initialization routines without a corresponding clean up routine can be easily recognized, and
2. circumvent the need for an antonym ;).

For routines that do not fall in this category, select another verb from the table above (most of the time there is a more descriptive alternative anyway).

If you still feel like you need an antonym; possibilities include but are not limited to: `Exit` (very common in conjunction with `Init`), `Reset`, `Finalize`, `Terminate`.

## "De-" vs. "Un-"
Both prefixes (`de-` and `un-`) can be defined as a *reversal of action*. Most of the time the prefix `de-` is used for verbs while `un-` is used for adjectives. There are many exceptions to this rule though.
In some cases careful usage of these prefixes can be used to avoid ambiguity. For example, *"he was unregistered"* is ambiguous because it can mean either *"he was not registered"* or *"his registration was removed"*, while *"he was deregistered"* is not.