Question of the Day #338

"NRA magazine spread prompts backlash after controversial headline"
From the headline of this article at ABC News.

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


1. 〔ロープなどの〕反動、跳ね返り◆ピンと張ったロープなどが切れたときに起きる、急激な後ろ向きの動き。
2. 〔【政治的・社会的な】出来事や傾向に対する強い〕反発、反感
3. 《機械》〔部品の〕がたつき、きしみ
4. 《機械》〔部品の余分な〕緩み、遊び
5. 〔リールで起きる釣り糸の〕バックラッシュ、もつれ◆キャスティング時に、釣り糸の送りよりも速くリールが回転することによって起きる。

この場合は、当然2番目の訳ですが、1番の訳を見ればなぜこのような意味になるかがわかると思います。

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

1. a sudden violent backward movement or reaction
2. the play between adjacent movable parts (as in a series of gears)
3. a snarl in that part of a fishing line wound on the reel
4.  a strong adverse reaction (as to a recent political or social development)

The correct definition in this case is number 4, of course.

Etymology/語源

Online Etymology Dictionaryによると、

隠喩の意味は、1929年からとされている。

According to Online Etymology Dictionary:

In metaphoric sense, it is attested from 1929.

Examples

• The company later removed the suicide reference following backlash. — Alexandra Bruell, WSJ, "Robots’ Lead Role in Super Bowl Ads Hint at Tech Anxieties," 4 Feb. 2019
• Oh, sure, social media backlash can have immediate, devastating, and even career-ending effects for anyone who who faces it. — Aja Romano, Vox, "Why the Kevin Hart Oscars backlash is different from other recent public shamings," 5 Jan. 2019
• the 60s backlash against bourgeois materialism
• a backlash of angry feeling among Southern conservatives within the party.
• ‘a public backlash against racism’

Question of the Day #337

"Court records reveal a Mueller report right in plain view"
From the headline of this article at AP News.

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


丸見えで、目につく場所で

In plain sightも全く同じ意味です。

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

in a place that is easily seen

Examples

• He carried his gun in plain view.
• I can't believe you go outside in plain view of the neighbors with your bathrobe open! 
• Law enforcement spends so much time and resources going after petty criminals, while all these white-collar crooks on Wall Street are swindling people for millions in plain view!

Question of the Day #336

"Asia shares up on Fed outlook, Aussie dollar seesaws after jobs data"
From the headline of this article at Reuters.

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

---

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、


〔シーソーのように〕上下する、変動する、一進一退を繰り返す

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

to move backward and forward or up and down

Etymology/語源

Online Etymology Dictionaryによると、

「上下する」の意は、1712年から。

According to Online Etymology Dictionary:

"move up and down," 1712

Examples

• The lead seesawed between the two runners right up to the finish line.
• His mind seesawed between hope and despair all through those weeks.
• The Tokyo stock market see-sawed up and down.
• The boat seesawed in the heavy sea.
• After months of seesaw battles in the Sahara Desert, Libya's rebels are now making their first serious push to Tripoli.

Question of the Day #335

"President Donald Trump’s longtime confidant Roger Stone has apologized to the judge presiding over his criminal case for an Instagram post featuring a photo of her with what appears to be the crosshairs of a gun."
From the first sentence of this article at AP News.

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


〔照準器の1本の〕照準線、十字線◆通例、cross-hairs

また、下記英文の定義でわかるように、誰かを照準器で狙っているかのように比喩的に使うこともあります。（例文の1、3、5）

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

a fine wire or thread in the focus of the eyepiece of an optical instrument used as a reference line in the field or for marking the instrumental axis —used figuratively to describe someone or something being targeted as if through an aiming device having crosshairs

Etymology/語源

Online Etymology Dictionaryによると、

望遠鏡関係では、初めて使われたのが1755年。銃砲関係では、1780年。

According to Online Etymology Dictionary:

 1755 of a telescope, 1780 in gunnery

Examples

• But what about the potential crimes that put Mr. Flynn in Mr. Mueller’s crosshairs to begin with? — Kimberley A. Strassel, WSJ, "Mueller’s Gift to Obama," 6 Dec. 2018
• Not even half an hour later, the president then tweeted praise of Roger Stone, his longtime adviser who’s been in Mueller’s crosshairs in recent months. — Jen Kirby, Vox, "Trump attacks Michael Cohen and praises Roger Stone in anti-Mueller tweets," 3 Dec. 2018
• A sniper had them in his crosshairs.
• The poster showed his face in the crosshairs of a rifle.
• Unfortunately, his disability—he is wheelchair-bound—was also in her crosshairs.

Question of the Day#334

"Among the victims of Aurora shooting, a 21-year-old human resources intern who was on his first day"
From the headline of this article at ABC News.

上記の文で、human resourcesの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "human resources" 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：
英辞郎によると、


人的資源、人材

とありますが、この見出しの場合は、human resources internとなっていることから、形容詞として使用されていることがわかりますので、「人事部の」ということになります。他の言い方をすれば、personnel departmentということになりますが、近年ではhuman resources departmentというアメリカの会社が多いようです。

Answer

According to Cambridge Dictionary:

the department within a company or organization that is responsible for its relationship with its employees and for following employment laws

Etymology/語源

Merriam-Websterによると、

初めて使われたのが、1915年。

According to Merriam-Webster:

First Known Use of human resources
1915

Examples

• Workers from Puerto Rico began arriving in February 2018, said Rob Trax, vice president of human resources for the Americas at Thetford Corp., Norcold’s parent company. — Erin Ailworth And, WSJ, "In Need of Workers, the Midwest Recruits From Puerto Rico," 14 Feb. 2019
• The outlet notes that Targum was allegedly let go after a complaint was made to CBS’s human resources department. — Megan Stein, Country Living, "An 'NCIS: New Orleans' Executive Producer Was Fired From the Show," 3 Feb. 2019

Question of the Day #333

"William Barr sworn in as attorney general, will oversee Mueller investigation"
From the headline of this article at ABC News.

上記の文で、swear in の意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "swear in" 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：
英辞郎によると、


（人）を宣誓就任させる

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

to induct into office by administration of an oath

Etymology/語源

Merriam-Websterによると、

初めて使われたのが、1536年。

According to Merriam-Webster:

First Known Use of swear in: 1536

Examples

• He was sworn in as deputy prime minister.
• A new president will be sworn in today.
• ‘he was sworn in as president on 10 July’

Question of the Day #332

"The German manufacturer has come out swinging in 2019 with a new flagship...."
From the headline of this article at carsguide.com.

上記の文で、come out swinging の意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "come out swinging" 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：
英辞郎によると、


強気に出る

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

To compete or defend someone or something passionately or aggressively.

Etymology/語源

Wiktionary.orgによると、

ボクシングにおいて、試合もしくはラウンドの開始直後から積極的に激しく打ち始めるボクサーに例えたイディオム。

According to Wiktionary.org:

An allusion to the behavior of a boxer who immediately begins a boxing match or a round of a match by aggressively throwing punches in an unrestrained manner.

Examples

• X Company came out swinging in antitrust appeal.
• After hearing so much opposition to hisproposed construction project, the developer came out swinging at the town hall meeting.
• They may be underdogs in this series, but you can be sure that they'll come out swinging.
• He came out swinging at his critics, accusing them of having their own agenda.
• The company knew it was going to have to come out fighting.

Question of the Day #331

"Cold snap and snow hit Tokyo and surrounding areas, disrupting some flights"
From the headline of this article at The Japan Times.

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

---

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、


突然の［急（激）な］寒さ［寒気・寒波］

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

a brief period of very cold weather

Examples

• I cut some last year after the extreme cold snap in December and we threw it practically all away this spring.
• In fact during those few days there had been a very cold snap throughout the region.
• It's mighty unusual, a cold snap like this in March, remarked the man who shuffled.
• Maybe we'll have a storm and a cold snap that will improve conditions.
• She lays her eggs in November and dies with the first cold snap.

Question of the Day #330

"Trump calls for bipartisanship, a hard line on immigration"
From the headline of this article at AP News.

上記の文で、bipartisanship の意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "bipartisanship" 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：
英辞郎によると、


二大政党主義、2党主義

とありますが、この場合はどちらかというとspirit of bipartisanship（超党派の精神）の訳の「超党派」のほうがいいと思います。
また、３つの政党以上の「超党派」は、英語ではnonpartisanshipとなります。

Answer

According to Oxford Dictionaries:

Agreement or cooperation between two political parties that usually oppose each other's policies.

Examples

• ‘a renewed spirit of political bipartisanship’
• a new era of bipartisanship in the US Congress
• Government leaders hope to achieve a bipartisan foreign policy.
• It was a long time ago, back when Congress functioned, and bipartisanship was real.
• Then, in a rare show of bipartisanship , Democrats and Republicans teamed up to gut the program.

Question of the Day #329

"Donald Trump's power dynamic with Nancy Pelosi will be on full display at the State of the Union"
From the headline of this article at USA Today.

上記の文で、power dynamicの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "power dynamic" 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：
英辞郎には、power dynamicは掲載されていないけれど、同じ意味のdynamics of powerはあります。その訳は、


権力の力学

もっと簡単に言えば、「力関係」です。

Answer

According to this answer stackexchange.com:

A "power dynamic" is the way different people or different groups of people interact with each other and where one of these sides is more powerful than the other one.

Examples

• "When I first facilitated a session on power dynamics for a group of leaders of organisations in August 2000, I noted that there was dominant association of power with authority, greed and dictatorship."
• 11 Signs There's An Unhealthy Power Dynamic In Your Relationship, According To An Expert
• How can you shift the power dynamic of a relationship?
• The Power Dynamic Is Shifting and Mankind Has Reached Its End

Question of the Day #328

"Polar vortex death toll rises to 21 as US cold snap continues"
From the headline of this article at BBC News.

上記の文で、polar vortexの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "polar vortex" 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：
英辞郎によると、


極渦

とありますが、最近の天気予報で時々耳にする「寒冷渦」の極端に強いものと考えていいと思います。したがって、わかりやすくするために北半球の場合は「北極寒冷渦」と言ってもいいのではないかと思います。
ちなみに、vortexの複数形はvorticesまたはvortexesですが前者の方が一般的です。

Answer

According to AccuWeather:

A polar vortex is a large pocket of very cold air, typically the coldest air in the Northern Hemisphere, which sits over the polar region during the winter season.
The frigid air can find its way into the United States when the polar vortex is pushed farther south, occasionally reaching southern Canada and the northern Plains, Midwest and northeastern portions of the United States.

Examples

• A displaced polar vortex is causing Arctic temperatures across the United States.
• There are two polar vortices in the Earth's atmosphere, one overlying each Pole.
• Variations in the strength of the polar vortex in the upper stratosphere may influence surface climate.
• Lower pressure leads to the contraction of the polar vortex, which moves the frontal systems further south.
• This year the winter polar vortices have been particularly persistent in the Arctic.

Question of the Day #327

"US: Mueller evidence used in disinformation campaign"
From the headline of this article at AP News.

上記の文で、disinformation の意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "disinformation" 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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実は、disinformationという単語は以前にも出題しています。何しろ、トランプ大統領の政権になって頻繁に使われるようになっているので覚えやすいと思います。

答えは、こちら。