Question of the Day #109

"The Simpsons' verdict on Trump's first 100 days is in and it's scathing"
From the headline of this article at Mashable.

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

答えは、コメントに書いてください。
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明日、ここに答えを書きます。
I will add the answer and other remarks here tomorrow.

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解答

意味： 英辞郎によると、


厳しく批判する、酷評する

Answer

According to Dictionary.com:

bitterly severe, as a remark

Etymology/語源

Online Etymology Dictionaryによると、

比喩的な使い方は、1852年から。

According to Online Etymology Dictionary:

Of words, speech, etc., from 1852.

Examples

• a scathing review of the book
• a scathing rebuttal of the latest theory concerning the assassination
• "scathing as some of the portraits are, the writer is by no means merely cynical." The Marriage of William Ashe, Mrs. Humphry Ward
• "scathing comments by Franklin on Thomas Penn's meanness, 138." Benjamin Franklin; Self-Revealed, Volume I (of 2), Wiliam Cabell Bruce
• "scathing sentences already took shape in his brain, but deeper investigation would be necessary before he could write anything." We Two, Edna Lyall

Question of the Day #108

"James Comey Wasn't a Partisan Hack. He Was Worse."
From the headline of this article at Mother Jones.

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


金のために何でもやる人

この場合は、これが適切な訳ですが、hackには名詞や動詞として色々な意味があるので、上記の英辞郎のページをぜひ参照してください。

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

a person who works solely for mercenary reasons

This is the most appropriate definition in the example, but there are many other noun and verb definitions, so I encourage you to click the Merriam-Webster link to check them out.

Etymology/語源

Online Etymology Dictionaryによると、

「一般的な仕事をするために雇われた人」という意味は1700年頃から。Hackneyを略した単語。Hackneyは、1300年頃からの単語で、イギリスのMiddlesexのHackneyの地名から。

According to Online Etymology Dictionary:

"person hired to do routine work," c. 1700, ultimately short for hackney "an ordinary horse, horse for general service (especially for driving or riding, as opposed to war, hunting, or hauling)," c. 1300. This word is probably from the place name Hackney, Middlesex.

Question of the Day #107

"Arvia: Docs want single-payer and so should you"
From the headline of this article at the Chicago Tribune.

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

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明日、ここに答えを書きます。
I will add the answer and other remarks here tomorrow.

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解答

意味： Physicians for a National Health Programによると、


Single-payer national health insuranceとは、「全国民のためのMedicare」とも呼ばれていて、単一の公的機関が医療保険を提供するが、実際の治療等は、主に民間の医療機関に委ねる制度である。この制度のもとでは、アメリカのすべての住人の医療費、長期介護費等が公的機関によって支払われることになる。

Answer

According to Physicians for a National Health Program:

Single-payer national health insurance, also known as “Medicare for all,” is a system in which a single public or quasi-public agency organizes health care financing, but the delivery of care remains largely in private hands. Under a single-payer system, all residents of the U.S. would be covered for all medically necessary services, including doctor, hospital, preventive, long-term care, mental health, reproductive health care, dental, vision, prescription drug and medical supply costs.

Etymology/語源

Merriam-Websterによると、

初めて使用されたのが、1987年。

According to Merriam-Webster:

First know use of single-player: 1987

Examples

• Our organization has for many, many years supported a single-payer system.
• After all, there was never even a public option, let alone the single-payer fantasy.
• Unfortunately Brill's piece is also inspiring more comment that the only solution is to extend Medicare to all: single-payer.
• But those long wait times are not necessarily a by-product of their single-payer system.
• They would have preferred a Canadian-style single-payer system.

Question of the Day #106

"The internet unleashes Photoshop on Donald Trump Jr.'s brand new t-shirt"
From the headline of this article at Mashable.

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

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Write your answer in the Comments.

明日、ここに答えを書きます。
I will add the answer and other remarks here tomorrow.

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解答

意味： 英辞郎によると、


1. 〔感情・強い力などを〕爆発させる
2. 〔犬を〕ひもから放す、解き放つ
3. ～を束縛から解放する

例文の場合の主語は、Internetであるが、二つ目の訳の「解き放つ」が一番いいと思う。
leashは、米英語で犬の「リード」のことであることから、unleashが「ひもから放す、解き放つ」ということになる。日本語で使用されている「リード」は、イギリスで使用されているleadからきている。

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

1. to free from or as if from a leash :  let loose
2. to throw, shoot, or set in motion forcefully

Etymology/語源

Online Etymology Dictionaryによると、

1670年ごろから使用されている。

According to Online Etymology Dictionary:

1670s, from un- (2) "reverse, opposite of" + leash (v.).

Examples

• The storm unleashed its fury.
• The editorial unleashed a torrent of angry responses.
• Keep in mind that this is just the first round of legislation the newly empowered Republicans are planning to unleash.
• Many are certain that China will unleash something sinister in the territory this week if the protests continue.
• Watch him unleash a magnificent, expletive-ridden rant—and be grateful for the Internet, where this harangue will live forever.

Question of the Day #105

ここのところ、アメリカのUnited Airlinesがいろいろ問題を起こしているので、二回連続Unitedの問題が続きます。

"Although Harris did his due diligence to land authorization for the Segway mini-pro, he was barred from taking it with him on his honeymoon. "
From this article at Advocate.com.

上記の文で、due diligenceの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "due diligence" 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。
I will add the answer and other remarks here tomorrow.

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解答

意味： 英辞郎によると、


相当［適切・正当］な注意［配慮］

Answer

According to Cambridge Dictionary:

action that is considered reasonable for people to be expected to take in order tokeep themselves or others and their property safe

Examples

• People have to exercise due diligence and watch what's being bought on their credit cards.
• Consumers are required to use their credit cards with due diligence, which includes making sure that strangers cannot find or see their PIN.‎
• You are required to exercise due diligence by immediately reporting unauthorized withdrawals from your account and unauthorized use of your credit card.‎
• It is the employer’s duty to exercise due diligence when appointing new staff.

Question of the Day #104

"United CEO Oscar Munoz initially made things worse with a tone-deaf apology for 'having to re-accommodate' customers. "
From this article at the Huffington Post.

上記の文で、tone-deafの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "tone-deaf" 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。
I will add the answer and other remarks here tomorrow.

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解答

意味：

本来は、「音痴の」という意味であるが、metaphorとしては、英辞郎の二つ目の訳でいいと思います。


感覚の鈍い、正しい判断［選択］ができない

Answer

I find it interesting that many of the "major" online dictionaries only include the medical meaning of tone-deaf. However, there are some that include the metaphorical meaning as well. According to Your Dictionary:

1. of or demonstrating an inability to recognize the complexity, possible cause for offense, etc. of an issue or situation
2. of or showing a lack of sensitivity to the effect that one's statements or positions have on others

Etymology/語源

Online Etymology Dictionaryによると、

Tone-deafは1880年から

となっているが、これは「音痴の」の意味だと思います。もしmetaphorとしての語源がわかったら、ぜひコメントに投稿してください。

According to Online Etymology Dictionary:

Tone-deaf is from 1880

However, I'm pretty sure that this is for the medical definition. If someone can find the origin for the metaphorical use, I'd appreciate it if you would add it to the comments.

Examples

• Some hated his tone-deaf assertion that he has behaved with “lightness”　toward women.
• The story writes itself: ‘President Proves She Is tone-deaf on Economy.’
• This “ surprising option” (as the tone-deaf Times headline calls it) is often viewed as caddish.

Question of the Day #103

"Chinese Media Can’t Stop Making Fun Of Donald Trump"
From the headline of this article at the Huffington Post.

上記の文で、make fun ofの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "make fun of" 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、 


• ～を物笑いの種にする
• 〜をからかう
• 〜をちゃかす
• 〜を笑いものにする

と、対象によって色々な訳し方ができるが、大体の傾向がわかると思う。

Answer

According to Dictionary.com:

Mock, ridicule

Etymology/語源

Online Etymology Dictionaryによると、

to make fun ofは、1737年から使われている。

According to Online Etymology Dictionary:

Older senses are preserved in phrase to make fun of (1737)

Examples

• The girls madefun of Mary's shoes
• Are you making fun of me?
• I am making fun of your hat.
• When she first moved north, some people made fun of her southern accent.
• At first the kids made fun of her because she spoke with a Dutch accent.

Question of the Day #102

"Here's The Fine Print On The Country's Biggest-Ever Free College Plan"
昨年の米国民主党の大統領候補の予備選で大きな問題の一つになった大学の授業料無料化。全国レベルでは、まだまだだけれどニューヨーク州が動き出したことに関する記事の見出しからの問題です。

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

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明日、ここに答えを書きます。
I will add the answer and other remarks here tomorrow.

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解答

意味： 英辞郎によると、


〔契約書・商品説明書などの〕ただし書き、細則、例外規定

となっているが、下記Merriam-Webster辞書の定義を見ていただきたい。"…thoroughly and often deliberately obscure…"となっている。「徹底的に、そしてしばしば意図的に分かりにくくする」の定義になっているが、上記の和訳だとその意味が一切ないことに注意していただきたい。

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

something thoroughly and often deliberately obscure; especially :  a part of an agreement or document spelling out restrictions and limitations often in small type or obscure language

Etymology/語源

Dictionary.comによると、

1955~1960年頃に初めての記録がある。

According to Dictionary.com:

First recorded in 1955-60

Examples

• How many times in our lives were we reminded to read the fine print?
• Wade into the fine print and the deal seems even more disappointing.
• And then the fine print : On March 1, 2013, the government of Israel will begin work.
• A careful reading of the label's fine print reveals it as just another offeringin the product line of a global giant.

Question of the Day #101

"Transphobic ‘Free Speech Bus’ To Tour U.S. With Message Of Hate"
From the headline of this article at the Huffington Post.

上記の文で、transphobicの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "transphobic" 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。
I will add the answer and other remarks here tomorrow.

---

解答

意味：

Transphobicは、まだ新しい造語なのでオンライン辞書でもまだ見つかりにくいと思いますが、記事の内容等で大体察しがつくと思います。Transは、transgenderのtransで、phobicはphobiaの変形で下記の意味です。

英辞郎によると、

トランス・ジェンダー◆生まれ持った性別と心の性が一致しないことから、反対の性で生きようとする人

英辞郎によると、


恐怖症の、病的に怖がる

したがって、transphobicで「トランスジェンダー恐怖症の」または「トランスジェンダーを病的に怖がる」という意味になりますが、この見出しを和訳する場合には、「トランスジェンダー恐怖症の人の」または「トランスジェンダーを病的に怖がる人の」が適訳だと思います。
ちなみに、英英辞典ではもうすでにtransphobiaの定義が掲載されています。（下記参照）

Answer

Since transphobic is the adjective form of transphobia, and transphobia is already in online dictionaries, this isn't all that hard to lookup. (In English at least, but looking it up in a English-Japanese dictionary, online or otherwise, is a different matter.)

According to Merriam-Webster:

irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against transgender or transsexual people

Etymology/語源

Oxford Living Dictionariesによると、

1990年代。trans + phobiaの造語。

According to Oxford Living Dictionaries:

1990s: from trans + phobia.

Examples

• … people fleeing homophobic or transphobic persecution. — Mary O'Hara, The Guardian (London), 16 July 2014
• Your not very well at hiding that your transphobic
• A: "Check out that guy in the dress; what a fruit."
  B: "Dude, don't be so transphobic."
• transphobic jokes

Question of the Day #100

For QotD #100 a word that is new to me, too.

"2017 Isn’t All Bad: Steve Bannon Apparently Called Jared Kushner a 'Cuck' Behind His Back"

上記の文で、cuckの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "cuck" 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。
I will add the answer and other remarks here tomorrow.

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解答

意味：
この単語は、2016年の米国共和党党大会のころから流行したもので、主に白人至上主義者(本来はwhite supremacistと呼ばれていたが、最近ではalt-rightという呼び方もある)の間で使われている。意味は、いくつかの定義があるようだけれど、Urban Dictionaryの下記の定義が妥当ではないかと思う。


白人至上主義に忠実ではない白人を軽蔑するための言葉

Answer

It's kind of hard to pin down the exact meaning of this word, but I find the following definition from the Urban Dictionary to be reasonable and better than most:

A racial slur for a white person that is not loyal to White Supremacy.

Examples

• Newt Knight was known in Mississippi for being a cuck after he aided runaway slaves in the swamp during the Civil War.
• Jeb is a cuck!
• Did you read that columnists article about X? He's such a cuck.
• He supports equal rights for women? He's a Cuck
• Peter is a really good husband and father who treats women like human beings. What a cuck!

Question of the Day #99

"So they whitewashed you too, huh?"
From the balloon in the cartoon at this website.

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

答えは、コメントに書いてください。
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明日、ここに答えを書きます。
I will add the answer and other remarks here tomorrow.

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解答

意味： 英辞郎によると、


1. ～に水しっくいを塗る
2. ～のうわべを飾る、～をごまかす
3. 《スポーツ》～に圧勝する
4. 野球》～を完封する
5. 《be whitewashed》《スポーツ》ストレートで負ける、全敗［零敗］する

ですが、上記の英語にはどれも当てはまらない。また、ほとんどの英英辞典で調べても上記のような定義しかない。
こういう場合は、役に立つのがユーザによって定義が投稿されているUrban Dictionary。下記にもあるこの英語の定義を簡単に訳すとこのようになる。

エンターテイメント業界が、映画やテレビ等の有色人種のキャラクターが白人の観客に受け入れやすいように、そのキャラクターを「白人化」する行為。

「白人化」する方法は、そのアニメーション等でキャラクターの肌を実際より白く見せる、または実写の映画等では白人の役者を使うことである。
この英語のブログにもっと長い説明がある。

Answer

According to Urban Dictionary:

A term that now has also come to refer to the entertainment industry's attempt at making ethnic characters more appealing to the white, money-spending masses by making exotic characters less ethnic and more "white."

There is a more in-depth explanation on this blog page.

Example

• Beauty brand L'Oreal accused of 'whitewashing' Beyonce

Question of the Day #98

"George Takei Has Bombshell Announcement, And Washington Is Reeling"
From the headline of this article at the Daily Buzz.
注：この記事は、エイプリル・フールのものだったことが判明して少々残念ですが、問題を提供してくれたことに感謝。
Note: It turned out that this was an April Fool's Day gag, but at least I got a question out of it.

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

答えは、コメントに書いてください。
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明日、ここに答えを書きます。
I will add the answer and other remarks here tomorrow.

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解答

意味： 英辞郎によると、


爆弾、砲弾、突発事件、爆弾発言、寝耳に水の出来事

本来、bombshellはbombの容器を意味するが、「爆弾」の同義語として使われる。しかし、比喩的に使う場合は、bombでは間違っていることに注意してください。

Answer

According to Dictionary.com:

something or someone having a sudden and sensational effect

Etymology/語源

Online Etymology Dictionaryによると、

「打ち砕くような影響」や「圧倒的な影響」を意味する比喩的な用法は、1860年ころから。

According to Online Etymology Dictionary:

The figurative sense of "shattering or devastating thing or event" attested from 1860.

Examples

• Then, at the end of the first trimester, John drops a bombshell: there is not one love-child, but two.
• What was most shocking about the bombshell reveal—that Newt asked for an open marriage—was the Callista part.
• Their lineup this week includes more forensic scientists, who have promised to deliver a “bombshell.”
• The book was a political bombshell.
• My sister dropped a bombshell by announcing she was leaving her job.