Question of the Day #1361

China is likely to thread the needle after US attack on Venezuela

From the headline of this article at the South China Morning Post.

  上記の文で、thread the needleの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "thread the needle" mean?

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解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

1. 針に糸を通す
2. 〈比喩〉難事を成し遂げる
3. 〈比喩〉〔球技などでボールを〕狭い所に正確に打つ［投げる］

   

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

1. verb Literally, to insert thread through the eye of a needle.
2. verb To pass, or pass something, through a narrow space between two things.
3. noun A children's game in which the participants stand in a line and hold hands. The person at the end of the line then ducks under the others' linked arms, pulling the rest of the line along with them.
4. noun In yoga, a variation of child's pose in which one brings ("threads") one's arm under one's chest, then lowers one's shoulder and ear to the mat.

 

Examples

1. The quarterback really threaded the needle between those two defenders with that pass.
2. 2010, James C. Foster,Bong Hits 4 Jesus: A Perfect Constitutional Storm in Alaska's Capital, University of Alaska Press, published 2010, →ISBN, page 215:
   Were I writing for the Court, I would seek to thread the needle between acknowledging Principal Morse's authority, on the one hand, while respecting student Frederick's rights, on the other.
3. 2021 September 6, Zack Handlen, “Rick And Mortyends its fifth season looking for an escape hatch”, in AV Club‎[1]:It was likely any resolution was going to seem like an anti-climax, and I thought this reveal threaded the needle quite well.
4. 2006 — L. Paul Bremer (with Malcom McConnell), My Year in Iraq: The Struggle to Build a Future of Hope, Simon & Schuster (2006), →ISBN, page 381:
   And I suggested we have the UN resolution endorse the concept of federalism, which the Kurds wanted, and the timetable for the January 2005 elections, as a way to thread the needle between the Kurdish and Sistani demands.
5. 2012 — Samuel L. Popkin, The Candidate: What It Takes to Win - And Hold - The White House, Oxford University Press (2012), →ISBN, page 42:
   Although the Carter campaign managed to thread the needle in that complicated situation in Philadelphia, it ignited a firestorm when Carter addressed the Irish National Congress in Pittsburgh.

   

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Question of the Day #1360

OPEN-HANDED GENEROSITY: GERRY'S STORY

From the headline of this article at Project Open Hand.

  上記の文で、open-handedの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "open-handed" mean?

  答えは、コメントに書いてください。
Write your answer in the Comments.

明日、ここに答えを書きます。
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解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

1. 手に何も持たない
2. 気前［きっぷ］の良い、物惜しみしない

問題の見出しの意味は、当然2番の訳です。

 

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

GENEROUS, MUNIFICENT

 

Examples

1. Being open-handed involves attempting to share your good fortune with those in need.
2. These are times when a fine open-handed generosity at the public expense is all the fashion.
3. After the Democrat prominently backed Vice President Kamala Harris for president during the campaign, Polis has adopted a more openhanded posture toward the incoming Republican administration. — Nick Coltrain, The Denver Post, 9 Jan. 2025
4. The price tag for the expansion is $450 million, more than $200 million of which comes from the estate of David Rockefeller, MoMA’s most openhanded donor, who died in 2017 at age 101. — Terry Teachout, WSJ, 13 Feb. 2019
5. “They’re coming in an open-handed, honest-broker way to people at risk,” he said. From Washington Times

   

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Question of the Day #1359

'Bite me': Alberta baker challenges premier's office over boycott tied to recall

From the headline of this article at Barchart.

  上記の文で、bite meの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "bite me" mean?

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Write your answer in the Comments.

明日、ここに答えを書きます。
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解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

むかつく！／くたばれ！／放っといて［放っておいて］くれ！／構わないでくれ！／消えうせろ！◆憤りを表す俗語表現

この表現は、間投詞なので、Bite me!と書くことが多い。

 

Answer

According to Dictionary.com:

INTERJECTION
(used as an exclamation of contempt, annoyance, or peeved dismissal).

 

Examples

1. On hearing her latest sob story, all he said as he walked away was, “Bite me!”
2. You’re restructuring our department by getting rid of the best personnel? Bite me!
3. 2009, James Patterson, Maxine Paetro, The 8th Confession:
   She swiped at her tears with the palm of her hand, slipped his front-door key into the breast pocket of his leather suit jacket, whispered to the dead man, "Bite me, asshole."
4. 2006 April 5, Dan Shive, El Goonish Shive (webcomic), Comic for Wednesday, Apr 5, 2006:"I don't know, Tedd; can you sing without soap?" "Bite me."
5. 2005, Ellen Notbohm, Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew, page 37: "We was talking and stuff, and I'm, like, I am SO not going there! And he just went, okay whatever, and I'm like FINE! Like I could care less, and then he goes, like, yeah bite me—"

   

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Question of the Day #1358

Killer driver says he was like a 'bat out of hell'

From the headline of this article at the BBC.

  上記の文で、like a bat out of hellの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "like a bat out of hell" mean?

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明日、ここに答えを書きます。
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解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

〈俗〉猛スピードで、大急ぎで◆火がきらいなコウモリと、炎が燃え盛っている地獄を組み合わせた表現。

   

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

very quickly

 

Examples

1. She ran down the street like a bat out of hell.
2. They undoubtedly gave him even greater publicity and notoriety, helping his solo career to skyrocket like a bat out of hell. From BBC
3. My wife shot out of the corner like a bat out of hell and leapt from her truck. From Salon
4. In the show, Joel flies in like a bat out of hell and violently knocks Seth to the ground before telling him to get the hell out. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
5. Nikki Cross ran down to this ring like a bat out of hell, and almost legitimately collided with Carmella. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023

   

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Question of the Day #1357

VIDEO: ‘Clean as a whistle’: SC governor says USS Yorktown clear of toxic waste

From the headline of this video at Live 5 News.

  上記の文で、clean as a whistleの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "clean as a whistle" mean?

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解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

全くきれいで、極めて明白な、とても清潔で、清廉潔白で、物の見事に、やすやすと

   

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

very clean

 

Examples

1. He chopped off the branch, clean as a whistle.
2. When I come to, I’m in the recovery room, head still cloudy, soul unsettled but clean as a whistle. From New York Times
3. I searched online how best to get that area clean as a whistle with no viable results. From Slate
4. One good lather was enough for our tester’s skin to feel as clean as a whistle. — Olivia Rose Rushing, InStyle, 7 Jan. 2026
5. This feels like it was developed for triple-sec, the clear type of orange liqueur, that comes with a pure orange flavor and makes a Jasmine that’s as clean as a whistle. — Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 17 Feb. 2024

   

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Question of the Day #1356

Gun-Shy

From the headline of this article at Comment.com.

  上記の文で、gun-shyの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "gun-shy" mean?

  答えは、コメントに書いてください。
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解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

【形】
〔人が〕銃の音に敏感な［おびえやすい］、弱気の、二の足を踏んでいる、用心深い◆【対】gun-happy

今の米国においては、gun-shyは最初の「[人が]銃の音に敏感な［おびえやすい］」または「銃を恐れている」意味になりますが、一般的には他の三つの意味で使用されることが多い。なお、反対の意味としてgun-happyとなっていますが、この用語は「銃を過度に好み、使用したり、銃による暴力を擁護したりする傾向がある」の意味が強く、他の意味の対語として使用されることは稀です。

 

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

1. afraid of loud noise (such as that of a gun)
2. markedly distrustful, afraid, or cautious

 

Examples

1. After the crash, investors were gun-shy about putting their money into the stock market.
2. After his last suggestion was laughed at by his colleagues, he was gunshy about making another suggestion.
3. After her last relationship ended the way it did, I don't blame her for being gun-shy about dating again.
4. Nintendo has been famously gun-shy of live-action adaptations — or adaptations in general — after the abysmal 1993 Super Mario Bros. film tanked. — Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 28 Mar. 2025
5. The pressure from both the U.S. and China has seemingly made Panama more gun-shy about those ports shifting hands, with numerous officials putting CK Hutchison’s partnership with the Panamanian government under scrutiny. — Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 13 Aug. 2025

   

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Question of the Day #1355

How To Work A Room Like You Own The Place

From the headline of this article at Forbes.

  上記の文で、how to work a/the roomの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "how to work a/the room" mean?

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Write your answer in the Comments.

明日、ここに答えを書きます。
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解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

〈俗〉うまく立ち回る、いい雰囲気をつくってくれる

とありますが、これはイディオムのwork the roomの結果であって決して起こす行為ではありません。
このHiNativeの説明の意味の方が適切です。

「work the room」とは、できるだけ多くの人と話し、名刺をもらい、つながりを作り、ゲームに先んじることを意味します。言い換えればネットワーキングです!

なお、下記英語の定義にあるように、仕事関連の集まりに使用されることが多いイディオムです。

 

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

To interact with many people at an event or function. Often, but not always, applied to business situations.

 

Examples

1. At networking events, Ben totally works the room, with the goal of meeting as many people as he possibly can.
2. At parties, my dad always works the room and chats with everyone, but I'm too shy for that.
3. As a campaigning politician, he really knew how to shake hands, kiss babies, and work the room.
4. Don’t “manage the floor,” work the room.
5. As you work the room, break out of the mechanical table visit that includes a rushed general question such as “Is everything okay?”

   

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