Question of the Day #460

"A large part of this growth has been fueled by a sweetheart deal the tech lobby made with the government when the lobby was in its infancy — the same deal that currently allows it to play god with our free expression."
From the 2nd paragraph of this article at The Federalist.

上記の文で、sweetheart dealの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "sweetheart deal" 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. なれ合い協定、談合
2. 有力者に有利な取り決め

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

an unusually good arrangement or agreement that helps someone who has a lot of influence or who knows someone important

Examples

• He got a sweetheart deal on the new job/car because he knows the manager.
• The oil magnate accused the state-owned oil company of overpaying for a smaller company in a sweetheart deal.
• We are not trying to produce an elaborate means of hoodwinking the commission, drawing the wool over its eyes or doing a sweetheart deal.
• In the next three years, one third of the entire electricity market will be sewn up in these sweetheart deals.
• "The commission is investigating whether this arrangement was a 'sweetheart deal' in breach of its strict rules on state aid." Times, Sunday Times (2018)

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