Question of the Day #611

Calling your UK holiday a ‘staycation’ reeks of classism

From the headline of this article at Metro.

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

ステイケーション◆（ガソリン価格や交通運賃の値上がりが原因で）遠出せずに自宅にいるか、近場で日帰り旅行をして過ごす休暇◆【語源】stay-at-home + vacation

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

a vacation spent at home or nearby

語源

Merriam-Websterによると、

初めて使用されたのが、1944年。

Etymology

According to Merriam-Webster,

First Known Use of staycation: 1944
History and Etymology for staycation: blend of STAY and vacation

Examples

• Start your staycation with a backwards day, Blair says. — Popular Science, "Stuck at home? Trick your brain into treating a staycation like the real thing.," 22 Dec. 2020
• Even if an appointment at the hotel spa isn't an option, there are ways to make your staycation special. — Chloe Foussianes, Town & Country, "Meghan Markle's Staycation Guide Is the Holiday Advice We Need Now," 21 Dec. 2020
• The great British staycation is back in fashion with more British holidaymakers choosing not to jet off to the sun but to stay at home instead.
• Or why not try a 'staycation' and turn your home into a holiday resort? The Sun (2009)
• It's easy to have a staycation in a place like NYC.

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Question of the Day #610

Volatility Market Braced For ‘Too Close To Call’ Georgia Runoffs

From the headline of this article at TechnoCodex.

上記の文で、too close to callの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "too close to call" 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、

接戦で勝敗の予測がつかない、わずかな差で予断を許さない

Answer

According to :

too close to say who will win

Examples

• The election is still too close to call.
• In the Senate, the count is too close to call at this point.
• n all three states the results at this stage are too close to call. Dobbs, Michael WALL GAMES
• There are only a few minutes left in the match and it is too close to call.
• The last round was too close to call therefore this round will be crucial in order to declare the winner.

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Question of the Day #609

A deeper look at underlying medical conditions

From the headline of this article at the Corvallis Gazette-Times.

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

《a ～》基礎疾患、原因疾患

また「基礎疾患」の意味は、日本心臓財団によると

さまざまな疾患の原因となっている病気を指す。樹木の枝葉に対する幹の存在ともいえる、心筋梗塞や脳梗塞に対する動脈硬化症や糖尿病などをいう。

また、underlying medical conditionsを略してunderlying conditionsということもあります。

Answer

According to the Corvallis Gazette-Times:

“Underlying medical conditions mean chronic medical conditions — those that affect a patient’s risk for disease for the duration of his or her life.

Examples

• The below list of underlying medical conditions is not exhaustive and only includes conditions with sufficient evidence to draw conclusions...
• Adults of any age with certain underlying medical conditions are at increased risk for severe illness from the virus that causes COVID-19.
• Call your healthcare professional if you have concerns about COVID-19 and your underlying condition or if you are sick.
• People of any age who are immunocompromised, including those with an underlying medical condition (e.g., cancer)
• About 4 in 10 Adults in the U.S. Are At Greater Risk of Developing Serious Illness if Infected with Coronavirus, Due to Age or Underlying Health Conditions

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Question of the Day #608

How do election officials make sure my vote isn’t hacked by the Russians or that my shifty-looking neighbor doesn’t get to vote twice?

From the 3rd paragraph of this article at the Vallejo Times-Herald.

上記の文で、shifty-lookingの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "shifty-looking" 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。
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---

解答

意味：
英辞郎によるとshiftyの訳は、

1. 〔人が〕ずる賢い、責任逃れをする
2. 〔風などが〕すぐに向きが変わる
3. 〔人が〕才覚がある、やりくりがうまい

問題文の場合は、1番めの訳になりますので、shifty-lookingは「ずる賢く見える」になります。意訳として、「怪しく見える」でもいいでしょう。 なお、現在3番めの訳が使用されることはほとんどないと思います。

Answer

According to The Collins Dictionary :

having the appearance of being dishonest

Examples

• A shifty-looking stranger walked past.
• There's a couple of shifty-looking people standing on the street corner.
• I looked through the window and there was a shifty-looking guy in a suit. The Sun (2009)
• At first sight, it seems hyena-esque, haunches lower than hackles, kind of shifty-looking. Times, Sunday Times (2015)
• When he and his men arrived at the spot on their patrol, they saw four shifty-looking locals run off. The Sun (2010)

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Question of the Day #607

8 Ways Companies Cook the Books

From the headline of this article at Investopedia.

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

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

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---

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

帳簿をごまかす

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

to dishonestly change official records of how much money was spent and received

Examples

• They cooked the books to drive up the company's stock prices.
• The body of an accountant suspected of cooking the books at a local glass factory turns up in a stream. The Sun (2007)
• The committee admitted that, in its recent trials, many officials cooked the books.
• My partner had been cooking the books for years, but because I was the CEO, I got the blame for our company's collapse.
• She knew that when the auditors looked over the books there would be no hiding the fact that she had cooked the books and £3 million was missing.

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Question of the Day #606

From a creative standpoint, fans deserve closure, but the show was circling the drain with meandering plots in those final seasons.

From the 3rd from the last paragraph of this article at TV Fanatic.

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

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---

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

〈米俗〉〔患者の〕死期が近い、〔患者が〕余命幾ばくもない

ただし、人間だけてはなく、このイディオムは問題文のようにさまざま物を対象とします。と言うか、その他のものの方が多いです。

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

To be in a state of severe deterioration such that one is approaching inevitable ruin, failure, or death. Usually used in the continuous form.

Examples

• Get Mrs. Smith’s son on the phone. She’s circling the drain.
• The restaurant where I work is circling the drain. I think I'll be out of a job soon.
• He was already circling the drain when the decision was made to take him off life support.
• The company's closure was inevitable, as it has been circling the drain for the last six months.
• Her political career began to circle the drain after news of her affair came to public light.

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Question of the Day #605

A second point, he said, is “to bring home to a wider public, the politicians, the press, just the nature of the way the Chinese Communist Party operates, therefore, whatever policy we devise towards them must take that into account."

From the 9th paragraph of this article at Voice of America News.

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

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---

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

AにBを痛感させる

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary :

To cause something to be more intimately acknowledged, recognized, or understood.

Examples

• Her passionate speech about the environment really brought the importance of conservation efforts home to me.
• The sight surely brought home to me the misery of the lives in Nazi concentration camps.
• his account brought home to us the gravity of the situation
• Ministers said that this would bring home to jurors the victims' distress. Times, Sunday Times (2007)
• And that was brought home to them by their famous visitors. The Sun (2014)

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Question of the Day #604

Eventually, they jury-rig the ventilation system to pull in fresh air instead of recirculating it and make the entire unit as “negative pressure” as possible to keep COVID-19 particles from aggregating dangerously. 

From the 6th paragraph of this article at Forward Kentucky.

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

〔有り合わせの物などで〕即席［応急・間に合わせ］の～を作る、～の代用とする

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

to erect, construct, or arrange in a makeshift fashion

Etymology/語源

Vocabulary.comによると、

Jury-riggedは、もともと長い航海の時に帆柱が損傷した時の「代替の帆柱」(jury-rig)の意味の航海用語です。
航海用語で

According to Vocabulary.com:

Jury-rigged　was originally a nautical term — a　jury-rig　was a backup mast that sailors would bring on long voyages in case the original mast was damaged.

Examples

• to jury-rig stage lights using automobile headlights
• In the shed they jury-rigged a cooking stove to get some heat.
• ‘jury-rigged classrooms in gymnasiums’
• The　survivors　of　the　wreck　jury-rigged　some　fishing　gear.
• Connors　jury-rigged　a　sail　and　headed　toward　land.

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Question of the Day #603

10 things Trump may do as a lame-duck president

From the headline of this article at The Hill.

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

1. 〔政治の〕レーム・ダック、死に体◆政権を担っているが、選挙で敗れて政権を離れることになる議員、知事、大統領、政党、政権などを指す。
2. 〈米〉〔大統領の〕レーム・ダック◆任期を残して次の選挙への不出馬を表明した大統領。
3. 〔後任が決まっている〕退職間近の人
4. 〔株式市場で〕大損をした人
5. 〔経営状態が〕悪化した会社
6. 〔交換される〕古いもの
7. 役立たず、無能者、効率の悪いもの

英辞郎には、さらに具体的にlame-duck presidentの詳しい説明があります。二通りのlame-duck presidentがいることに注目していただきたいと思います。

《a ～》〈米〉今期限りで［任期満了とともに］職を退く大統領◆特に、次期大統領として再選されなかった場合。広義では、次期大統領選に出馬しない場合や、今期ですでに2回（上限回数）大統領に選ばれている場合も含む。◆今後の支持率についてあまり気にする必要がないため、思い切った政策を実行する場合がある。

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

1. one that is weak or that falls behind in ability or achievement
2. an elected official or group continuing to hold political office during the period between the election and the inauguration of a successor
3. one whose position or term of office will soon end

Etymology/語源

The Idiomsによると、

初めて使用されたのは、1755〜65年ごろ。
1700年代に生まれたこの表現は、当初借金が払えない株式仲買人を指したが、1860年代に政治家に使われるようになった。

According to The Idioms:

Origin: [1755–65].
This expression originated in the 1700s and then meant a stockbroker who did not meet his debts. It was transferred to officeholders in the 1860s.

Examples

• A lot of time and effort goes into supporting employees who are essentially lame ducks.
• This is regarded by many as a lame-duck initiative that has failed to deliver its promises.
• What do you expect from a lame-duck mayor?
• The flip side of this recognition went unacknowledged by the White House, but it can no longer be denied: Trump is officially a lame duck. — John Cassidy, The New Yorker, "A Victory for Democracy: Trump Allows the Transition to Begin," 24 Nov. 2020
• At the same time, lawmakers continue to work through a lame duck session and prepare to return to regular session in early January. — J.d. Davidson, Washington Examiner, "Ohio jobless numbers good, but just one month: Policy group," 23 Nov. 2020

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Question of the Day #602

Internet humorist and podcaster Asterios Kokkinos had no idea he’d wind up in the New York State Supreme Court embroiled in one of the pettiest cases to pass through the halls of justice when he entered into a mutually destructive flame war with George “Maddox” Ouzounian years ago.

From the headline of this article at Vice.

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

《イ》ネットワーク上で議論するときに過熱し過ぎてけんか状態になること

なお、日本語と英語の違いがあるので一概に言えませんが、日本語のネット上の「炎上する」に一番近い言い回しです。

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

An online discussion on a newsgroup, forum, or thread of blog comments in which debate about a subject degenerates into an exchange of personal insults.

Examples

• I can't come to work today because i'm having a flame war on www.flamewarforum.com.
• A wordn00b/word had started an innocent thread about graphical differences between Half-Life 2 and Doom3, but when Brassmonkey came in, the discussion turned into a flamewar, until Abom|nation had to close it down.
• "It started out as a discussion poll but quickly turned into a fu**ing flamewar."
• The result of this exchange led to an extended internet flame war.
• Flame wars often draw in many users (including those trying to defuse the flame war) and can overshadow regular forum discussion if left unchecked.

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Question of the Day #601

We’ve all had bad days. Occasionally it’s been a tough week. And some months are better than others — blistering heat in August and ice storms in February come to mind. But an entire year gone off the rails?

From the 1st paragraph of this article at The Pilot.

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

軌道からはずれて、頭が狂って

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

1. To be in a state of chaos, dysfunction, or disorder.
2. To be crazy, eccentric, or mentally unhinged.

Examples

• Our project has been off the rails ever since the manager up and quit last month.
• I think you should cut back on your drinking—you were totally off the rails last night!
• They've got to do something about these children because clearly they've gone off the rails.
• By the spring, the project seemed to be going off the rails. No major sponsor had come forward with the extra £1 million or so needed.
• The campaign for independence seems to have gone off the rails.

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Question of the Day #600

We hope you’ll join us—it’ll definitely be rad.

From the last line of this article at Slate.

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

1. 〈俗〉急な、過激な
2. 〈俗〉素晴らしい、見事な

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

COOL, RADICAL

Examples

• That skateboard is totally rad.
• The party was totally rad.
• "Those are some rad shoes."
• Robyn provides her stunning and distinctive voice to a really rad single that's showing how the disc renaissance is growing with Channel Tres bringing the song into a cool R&B and house avenue. — Star Tribune, "6 cool things in music this week include Robyn, Amanda Shires, Rhiannon Giddens and Neal Karlen's Prince book," 2 Oct. 2020
• If the foursome can tap deeper into their superhero personas to will the Tokyo Olympics into existence next summer, that truly would be rad. — Jeff Metcalfe, The Arizona Republic, "Jagger Eaton takes turn as Captain America while waiting on Olympic qualifying to resume," 23 Sep. 2020

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Question of the Day #599

The truth is, sometimes the flashiest job won’t bring home the bacon in the same way that something a little less exciting might.

From the 2nd paragraph of this article at Yahoo! Finance.

上記の文で、bring home the baconの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "bring home the bacon" 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。
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---

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

1. 〈話〉働いて金を持ち帰る、生活費を稼ぐ、生計を支える、暮らしを立てる
2. 〈話〉成功する、成功を収める、成果を挙げる

問題文の場合は、当然1番です。

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

1. To earn money, as from steady employment. The phrase may originate from the fairground contest in which participants try to catch a greased pig in order to win it.
2. To be successful.

Examples

• He worked hard all week to bring home the bacon for his family.
• Now that I have a full-time job, I'm bringing home the bacon!
• My wife brings home the bacon, while I watch the kids.
• The question `Who brings up the baby and who brings home the bacon?' has become one of the most important of all political questions.
• Our governor went to Washington to appeal for disaster relief and eventually brought home the bacon.

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Question of the Day #598

There really isn’t a definitive rule regarding where percentages should be spent, however, if I had my druthers, I’d say you can’t go wrong with at least 50% of the total budget spent on speakers (or headphones for personal audio). 

From the 1st paragraph of section "3. Speakers and Headphones" of this article at Ecoustics.com.

上記の文で、have one's druthersの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "have one's druthers" 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：
英辞郎にこのイディオムは載っていないがdruthersの意味は、

〈話〉〔人の〕好み、選択

したがって、「自分の好み通りにできるのならば」という意味になります。

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

To have one's choice or preference; to have things the way one would like them to be; to have one's way. Usually formulated as "if I had my druthers…." Primarily heard in US.

Etymology/語源

Merriam-Webster

drutherは、would ratherの頭韻語。
また、初めて使用されたのは、1870年頃。

According to Merriam-Webster:

druther, alteration of would rather
First Known Use of druthers
: 1870

Examples

• If I had my druthers, there'd be another election.
• This isn't the way we'd do things if we had our druthers.
• If you could have your druthers, what would you be doing?
• I tell you, if I had my druthers, I'd spend the rest of my life living in Paris.
• If the president had his druthers, we'd be paying taxes for the privilege of breathing!

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Question of the Day #597

Lend me your ear: a compilation of gestures from around the globe

From the headline of this article at The Boston Globe.

上記の文で、lend me your earの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "lend me your ear" 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：
英辞郎に訳がないので、下記The Idiomsの定義を訳すと、

人に注目するようにお願いする

Answer

According to The Idioms:

ask for someone's full attention

Etymology/語源

Idiom Attic

ShakespeareのJulius Caesarから。

According to Idiom Attic:

From Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.

Examples

• Lend me your ear and I will tell you about my adventures in the mountains.
• Could you please lend me your ear for a minute? I need to tell you something really important.
• Even if you disagree with someone, you should still lend them your ear and try to understand their point of view.
• The boss asked us all to lend him our ears for an hour this afternoon. I wonder what he's going to tell us.
• Hey, lend an ear to this - Suzy is getting married.

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Question of the Day #596

A setup with a moving driving seat, a steering wheel with haptic feedback and a crystal-clear virtual reality headset would make any serious gamer jealous, but Volvo Cars’ simulator takes this concept to the next level, making it hard to tell reality from simulation.

From the 2nd paragraph of this article at Automotive World.

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

水晶のように澄み切った、透明な、一点の曇りもない、明晰な、非常に明瞭な［明白な・はっきりしている］

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

perfectly or transparently clear

Examples

• “Was my request clear?” “Yes, crystal clear.”
• Eventually it became crystal clear that something had to change.
• The Twentieth Amendment is crystal clear that the president’s term in office ‘shall end’ at noon on Jan. 20, but two men could show up to be sworn in. — Annabelle Timsit, Quartz, "Some scenarios of what could happen on election day and beyond," 2 Nov. 2020
• The cliffs, lapped by a crystal-clear sea, remind her of Capri.
• The message is crystal clear–if you lose weight, you will feel better.

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Question of the Day #595

Arizona: On the fast track to swing state status

From the headline of this article at The Hill.

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

《a ～》〈米〉選挙結果を左右する州、勝敗の鍵を握る州、激戦州◆米国大統領選において、選挙結果が共和党と民主党の候補者間で“揺れる州”または接戦の州。◆【同】battleground state ; purple state

なお、同義語としてなぜpurple stateかは、青い州（民主党）と赤い州（共和党）の混合色だからです。

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

US politics : a U.S. state in which Republican and Democratic candidates have similar levels of support and which is considered to play a key role in the outcome of presidential elections

Examples

• The politics of immigration in Florida, a key swing state, are not as clear as they are in California. — Tom Masland, et al.
• If he is so polarizing, how was he elected five times in a swing state? — Nancy Gibbs, et al.
• The outcome of the US election will be decided by a small number of swing states that are not decisively Democratic or Republican in their support for the presidential candidates.
• This election sees familiar swing states such as Ohio, Florida, and Virginia in contention, as well as some new ones such as Utah, Arizona, and Wisconsin.
• Swing states with large populations control a larger number of members of the Electoral College than small ones, and so have a greater influence on the outcome of the election.

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Question of the Day #594

Lip-service to generic anti-racism is no solution.

From the 8th paragraph of this article at Toronto Star.

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

リップサービス◆実行・実践を伴わない、口先だけの同意・賛成・賛同・好意・意見・主張

なお、英辞郎には「〈性俗〉フェラチオ」という訳もありますが、これは和製英語であって実際にはほとんどこのように使用されません。性俗の定義はなくはないが、Urban Dictionaryが唯一の出典で"oral sex, especially cunnilingus"という定義になります。

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

an avowal of advocacy, adherence, or allegiance expressed in words but not backed by deeds —usually used with pay

Examples

• She paid lip service to blue-collar workers, but she did nothing to help them.
• So far all we've gotten from him is lip service.
• A lot of adults pay lip service to the idea that it is important to listen to teenagers' ideas, but they tend to listen and then forget.
• Is this a real promise, or is this just lip service?
• In March and April, the need for mask use and physical distancing were given lip service in the White House even as the president and his top aides modeled bad behavior, ignoring recommendations from the public health community. — Fortune, "We could tackle COVID under an effective leader. Trump is not that leader," 2 Nov. 2020

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Question of the Day #593

37% of respondents are hopeful about the next year, saying the “fingers crossed” emoji best reflects their feelings.

From the 3rd paragraph of this article at Provoke.

上記の文で、fingers crossedの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "fingers crossed" 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。
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---

解答

意味：
英辞郎には、with fingers crossedの訳があり、それの意味は、

幸運［成功］を祈りながら

Fingers crossedだけでも同じ意味があります。なので、最近のemojiにもなっています。

Answer

According to MacMillan Dictionary :

used for saying that you hope something goes well or has a good result

Examples

• Tomorrow is my second test so fingers crossed!
• It’s too soon to get excited, but keep your fingers crossed.
• I studied for that exam for two weeks, so I hope I get a good grade on it. Fingers crossed!
• Fingers crossed my packages get delivered in time for Christmas!
• Let's keep our fingers crossed that it doesn't rain.

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Question of the Day #592

On the out­side, we raise Cain, agitate, and describe the contours of a just and more democratic future.

From the 9th paragraph of this article at In These Times.

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

面倒［騒動］を起こす、（人）に食って掛かる

Answer

According to Lexico:

Create trouble or a commotion.

Etymology/語源

英辞郎によると、

語源】旧約聖書で弟Abelを殺し、最初の殺人者となったことから。

According to The Phrase Finder:

Cain was the first murderer according to scriptural accounts in the Bible - Genesis 4 and in the Qur'an - 5:27-32. The biblical account, from the King James' Version, tells of how Cain and Abel, the two sons of Adam and Eve, bring offerings to God, but only Abel's is accepted. Cain kills Abel in anger and is cursed by God.

Examples

• He'll raise Cain when he finds out I lost his watch.
• The students raised Cain while the teacher was out.
• I figure she'd raise Cain if we tried to stop her.
• I started raising Cain as soon as I was in college and could do what I wanted, but I mellowed out after I graduated.
• The customer has been raising Cain about the service charge we included on his bill.

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Question of the Day #591

If such language were not disturbing enough, it is important to note that Trump has at his beck and call any number of loyal armed right-wing groups ready for actual combat on his behalf.

From the 3rd paragraph of this article at News Click.

上記の文で、at [someone's] beck and callの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "at [someone's] beck and call" 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、

（人）の意［指示・指図］のままに、（人）の言いなりになって、（人）の手足となって働いて

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

always ready to do whatever someone asks

Examples

• He expects his employees to be at his beck and call day and night.
• She is at the beck and call of the committee.
• She was confined to a wheelchair but had a private nurse at her beck and call.
• Your child must understand that you can't always be at his beck and call for every little thing.
• The servants at the palace are at the beck and call of the king and the entire royal family.

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Question of the Day #590

An advocacy-oriented approach — that is, publicly calling attention to the issue and applying pressure from the outside — would have caused a loss of face for local officials and hopes for a deal would be lost.

From the 6th paragraph of this article at the Harvard Business Review.

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

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---

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

メンツ［面目］を失うこと、顔をつぶされること

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

The state or circumstance of having lost the respect of other people, as due to having done something improper or unacceptable.

Examples

• 'he could step aside now without loss of face'
• After my terrible loss of face in front of the in-laws, I knew I couldn't return to their home for the foreseeable future.
• Any decision to withdraw now would mean a damaging loss of face.

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Question of the Day #589

While finding an agreed-upon definition of what “defunding the police” actually means is difficult, there’s little question that injecting the phrase into any political debate remains one of the fastest ways to light the suburban electorate’s hair on fire.

From the 2nd paragraph of this article at The News Tribute.

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

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---

解答

意味：
英辞郎や他の日英辞書に訳がないので、下記の英語のUsingEnglish.comの定義を訳します。

何かがsets your hair on fire（髪の毛に火をつけたら）それは、自分をとても興奮させているか突然注意を引くことを意味します。

また、緊急事態であること表すためにも使います。

Answer

According to UsingEnglish.com:

If something sets your hair on fire, it excites you or catches your attention urgently.

Examples

• It was one of those hair on fire moments where everyone and their brother was requesting things from me at the same time.
• I am sorry I didn't call you back; my hair was on fire at work.
• "Yes, I need that information now, we're on deadline here and my hair's on fire"
• "'You're not going to be happy unless you're going Mach 2 with your hair on fire,' Kelly McGillis (Instructor Charlotte Blackwood) says to Tom Cruise (Lt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell)."
• "Charlie Allen had his hair on fire,'' wrote Richard Clarke, the former counterterrorism chief, at the start of a chapter in his brilliantly promoted best seller, ''Against All Enemies.''

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Question of the Day #588

Volunteers help comb through government and media reports, and members of the public can send them events for a rich, real-time record.

From the 7th paragraph of this article at The Waterloo Chronicle.

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

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---

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

～を綿密にチェックする、～をくまなく捜す

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

Fig. to look through something, examining it thoroughly.

Examples

• Researchers have been combing through data files trying to detect problems.
• In response, the staff combed through the 10-year budget for savings.
• We combed through the wreckage but still haven't found any survivors.
• Our lawyers are combing through the contract, looking for anything we can use to our advantage.
• I combed through all my belongings, looking for the lost papers.

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Question of the Day #587

Down the rabbit hole at Kitty's crazy Corby cafe and restaurant wonderland

From the headline of this article at The Northamptonshire Telegraph.

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

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---

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

〈俗〉超現実的な［幻覚的な］体験をする［状況に突入する］

Answer

According to McMillan Dictionary:

used for referring to a situation that is strange, confusing, or illogical, and often hard to escape from

Etymology/語源

英次郎によると、

【語源】『不思議の国のアリス』のアリスがウサギの穴に落ちて不思議な体験をすることから。

According to Medium.com:

The first use of the phrase falling “down the rabbit hole” comes to us thanks to the great Lewis Carroll who introduced the term in 1865 in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. In the story, Alice literally falls down the hole of the White Rabbit, taking her to Wonderland. In this case, falling down the rabbit hole meant entering a strange and absurd alternate universe, which many believe was supposed to represent a psychedelic experience.

Examples

• Quoting from the people themselves is the easiest way of showing just how far down the rabbit hole we are going here.
• Professor John Kennedy invites us to jump down the rabbit hole and imagine a world where U.S. Supreme Court justices are elected democratically.
• Because it is so early on in this work it is easy to say that we are either at the edge of a remarkable new and useful science or that we are careering down an environmental rabbit hole. — Jack Hitt
• In the season-two premiere of HBO's Westworld, viewers were again tossed down a rabbit hole filled with theories, where one open door leads to many more closed ones. — Josh Wigler and Zoe Haylock
• “Then how far down the rabbit hole do we have to go before Comey enlightens America? We already have Putins hand maidens in the WH. HOW FAR?”

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Question of the Day #586

The cream of the crop: Amalgam's front wing of Verstappen's Red Bull RB15

From the headline of this article at Autosport.

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

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---

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

《the ～》〔同種の物・人々の中の〕最高［最良］のもの、最高によりすぐった人［物］、最も精選されたもの、一流の人、最優秀者

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

The best of a particular group.

Examples

• The medical school's graduates are considered to be the cream of the crop and can get jobs wherever they want to.
• As the party managers selected the cream of the crop, the group would dissolve. Simon Ball THE GUARDSMEN (2004)
• Which musical decade is the cream of the crop? The Sun (2008)
• We need to draft this player—he's definitely the cream of the crop.
• These delicious strawberries are the cream of the crop.

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Question of the Day #585

He was asked point-blank if he would’ve signed that same deal had the Red Sox offered it to him.

From the 15th paragraph of this article at The Boston Herald.

上記の文で、point-blankの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "point-blank" 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。
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---

Question of the Day #584

Nalini Joseph: Let your child’s imagination run wild

From the headline of this article at The Salisbury Post.

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

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---

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

1. 〔植物などが〕どんどんはびこる
2. 自由気ままに振る舞う
3. 乱暴になる、暴れる、暴力化する

イディオムの対象がimaginationなので、正解は当然2番目です。

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

To behave or run around in a wild, unruly, out-of-control manner; to be or become crazy or chaotic.

Examples

• We tried to have some organized games for the kids, but they all started running wild as soon as they got here.
• Their parents believed in letting the children run wild when they were young and it doesn’t seem to have done them any harm.
• His imagination ran wild.
• Molly has let that girl run wild.
• The response of the home supporters was to run wild. Times, Sunday Times (2009)

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Question of the Day #583

Having tried to kick the habit once and failed, I’m not in the best position to advise. 

From the 6th paragraph of this article at The Ottawa Citizen.

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

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---

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

〔酒・たばこなどの〕習慣をやめる［絶つ］

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

slang To overcome an addiction to something.

Examples

• It took gum, patches, and even hypnosis, but I've finally kicked the habit.
• Unfortunately, the physical nature of heroin addiction means that kicking the habit isn't as simple as just wanting to stop.
• You're going to need a lot of support from family and friends if you're going to kick your habit. Withdrawal is no joke.
• She used to be a heavy smoker but she kicked the habit last year.
• They're members of Wendy Jeffery's tap dancing class, and they just can't kick the habit.

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Question of the Day #582

The gas and mining sector were declared an “essential service” and, unlike most sectors right now, are currently rolling in dough and the government still gave it $29 billion in subsidies.

From the 1st paragraph of the section "Gaslighting the electorate" from this article at Green Left.

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

《be ～》金がうなっている

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

Exceptionally wealthy; having large amounts of money to spend.

Examples

• I hear her father is rolling in dough, so I wouldn't be too worried about her future.
• Once we get this plan underway, we'll be rolling in dough in no time!
• "What did you mean when you said they are rolling in (the) dough?" "They're rich".
• I want this guy thinking that we're rolling in dough already.
• And we're renting out a room in our house because we're rolling in dough?

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Question of the Day #581

COVID-19 has created some winners (see Jeff Bezos) but many, many losers who are left holding the bag.

From the 2nd paragraph of this article at The Financial Post.

上記の文で、be left holding the bagの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "be left holding the bag" 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、

《be ～》〈米〉全責任を取らされる、貧乏くじを引く、罪を着せられる

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

To have responsibility or guilt for something foisted upon oneself; to take the blame for something. Primarily heard in US.

Examples

• My partner had been cooking the books for years, but I was left holding the bag when the business collapsed.
•  If a project goes bust, investors are left holding the bag.
• I don't want to be left holding the bag if something goes wrong.
• The other investors pulled out of the project and we were left holding the bag.
• “I don’t appreciate being left to hold the bag when you feel like taking a golf holiday!”

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Question of the Day #580

Lindsey Graham is such a shill, he might as well be paid by Trump personally

From the headline of this article at The Washington Post.

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

1. 〈米俗・軽蔑的〉〔賭博・競売などの〕サクラ、おとり
2. 〈米俗・軽蔑的〉〔商品などを積極的に売ろうとする〕宣伝［広告］担当者

なお、動詞形もあります。

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

1. one who acts as a decoy (as for a pitchman or gambler)
2. one who makes a sales pitch or serves as a promoter

Examples

• March 30, 2020 × Ads shilling credit programs, or programs to get creditors off your back, also appear more plentiful — which makes sense given the economic fears and realities unleashed by the coronavirus. — Los Angeles Times, "Commentary: Charmin’s bears are just cruel now. How coronavirus has changed TV ads," 23 Apr. 2020
• That might be due, in part, to the fact there's less promotion involved, since shilling for upcoming movies or TV shows feels like a little awkward. — Brian Lowry, CNN, "Social distancing TV is finding its groove -- and discovering its limits," 17 Apr. 2020
• He is tarnishing his reputation by being a shill for the tobacco industry.
• “The shill bid for the expensive carpet during the auction in order to drive the price up”
• "The idea that the White House might try to infiltrate the press corps with a shill is a chilling thought in this democracy, but this is the administration that has been caught paying “journalists” and generating its own prefabricated “news reports” to distribute to TV stations too naïve to recognize the attempt at propaganda."

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Question of the Day #579

In this instance, even if the young man was head and shoulders above everyone else in the field, the optics of the BTL nationalization did not allow for him being placed in such a high position there.

From the 8th paragraph of this article at Amandala.com.

上記の文で、head and shoulders aboveの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "head and shoulders above" 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。
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---

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

～より抜きんでて、～よりはるかに優れて、～に勝って、～をはるかに凌駕して

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

used to say that someone or something is much better than others

Examples

• They are/stand head and shoulders above the competition.
• There's no competition - they're head and shoulders above the rest.
• Natasha is head and shoulders above the other dancers in her age group.
• The two candidates stood head and shoulders above the rest.
• I am very impressed by your magazine. It is head and shoulders above any other.

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Question of the Day #578

Trump’s personal physician, Sean Conley, said the president met the discharge requirements but was “not entirely be out of the woods yet”.

From the headline of this article at The Guardian.

上記の文で、out of the woodsの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "out of the woods" 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。
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---

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

森の中から出て、困難を脱して、危険を免れて

Answer

According to The Cambridge Dictionary:

not having a problem or difficulty any longer:

Examples

• It's too soon to say if either airline is out of the woods yet.
• Her surgery went as well as we could have hoped, but she's not out of the woods yet.
• If our sales stay strong, we should be out of the woods by the next quarter.
• The company is by no means out of the woods. Times, Sunday Times (2012)
• But we are not out of the woods yet. The Sun (2014)

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Question of the Day #577

"When Biden calls a 'lid,' Democrats wet the bed — and Trump starts mocking "

From the headline of this article at Politico.

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

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---

解答

意味：
the Political Dictionaryによると、

Lidとは、ホワイトハウスの報道官が、その日にはもうニュースはない時に使う用語です。Full lidと言うこともあります。

ある日に大統領候補がもう公のイベント等がない場合にも、その選挙組織が使用する場合があります。

Answer

According to the Political Dictionary:

A “lid” is what White House press secretaries use to indicate that there will be no news coming out of the White House that day. It can also be called a “Full Lid.”

A presidential campaign can also call a lid when their candidate does not plan any more public events or appearances for the rest of the day.

Examples

• It's "Debate Tuesday" and assuming the Biden campaign doesn't call a lid on the day at 4:00 PM Eastern, we will finally have a presidential debate.
• Each candidate can call what is known as a “lid” each day, which means they will be doing nothing all day and no press should be around, Trump has yet to call a “lid during the last 90 days, whereas Biden has called 9 of them in the last 30 days.
• Someone should start asking because you cannot 'Call a Lid' at 9:30AM when you're president.
• LindseyGrahamSC Needs to 'Call a Lid' on Committee Hearings for SUPCO Nominee! 

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Question of the Day #576

"My father was a self-made man who put himself through law school at night while working a day job and supporting his family."

From the 8th paragraph of this article at The Ladders.

上記の文で、self-made manの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "self-made man" mean?

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---

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

自力［独力］で出世した［成功を収めた］男性、たたき上げの男性、立志伝中の男性

Answer

According to Lexico:

(Originally US) a man who has achieved wealth, status, etc., through personal effort or hard work, rather than by accident of birth, especially one who has come from a poor background.

Etymology/語源

Lexicoによると、

17世紀中頃。医学者のJohn Bulwer(1606生、1656没)が初めて使用したとされている。

According to Lexico:

Mid 17th century; earliest use found in John Bulwer (bap. 1606, d. 1656), medical practitioner and writer on deafness and on gesture.

Examples

• My son is clear about wanting to become a self-made man. He does not want any help from me.
• A self-made man would understand the value of his empire more than anything else. It is because he works hard to create it.
• His father is a self-made businessman with an interest in horseracing. The Times Literary Supplement (2010)
• All three are self-made millionaires with humble beginnings. Times, Sunday Times (2007)
• What does the self-made man love? Christianity Today (2000)

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Question of the Day #575

" In order to convey their disgust with UNC’s decisionmakers, they discussed the creation of clusters of the virus and the chaos inherent in the situation by including the word “clusterfuck” in the headline of their August 16 editorial on the print version of the paper. "

From the 3rd paragraph of this article at the Nonprofit Quarterly.

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

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

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---

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

名詞形

〈卑俗〉とんでもない大失敗、とんでもなくめちゃくちゃな事柄［状態］◆非常に下品な表現。一説に、もともとは米軍で使われた俗語。

他動詞形

〈卑俗〉～をとんでもなくめちゃくちゃな状態にする◆非常に下品な表現。一説に、もともとは米軍で使われた俗語。

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

vulgar slang
: a complex and utterly disordered and mismanaged situation : a muddled mess

Etymology/語源

Merriam-Websterによると、

初めて使用されたのは、1969年。

According to Merriam-Webster:

First Known Use of clusterfuck:
1969

Examples

• Zap is funny. Zap has the hots for your mother, who, even if she weren't too wrapped up in the tragic clusterfuck of her own life to notice, would probably be out of his league anyway. — Jonathan Tropper, Everything Changes, 2005
• As Luke tuned up, I watched as tourists snapped photos, panhandlers hassled the tourists, and junkies and drunks mixed it up like trained bears in a Russian circus during an earthquake. I realized that soon mine would be the loudest voice in this clusterfuck and that all these people would be staring at me. — Robert Wilder, Tales from the Teachers' Lounge, 2007
• This is an organizational clusterfuck.
• By the time the artillery came in the enemy was already on top of us. It was a total clusterfuck.
• Axios notes that the comments made by the president during Tuesday night’s /clusterfuck/ debate were condemned by Democrats, and Republicans asked the president to clarify his statements because they need further proof before they can call him a racist race-baiting racist.

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Question of the Day #574

"Bihar: RJD faces herculean task to satisfy allies on seat sharing"

From the headline of this article at The Times of India.

上記の文で、herculean taskの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "herculean task" 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。
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---

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

非常に困難な［骨の折れる］仕事

Herculean effortやHerculean featとも言います。

Answer

According to Idioms Online:

A herculean task is an extremely difficult task; an almost impossible undertaking.

Etymology/語源

Herculean taskは、ハーキュリーズ（ギリシア名ヘラクレス）に由来します。The Idiomsによると、

ヘラクラスは、ゼウスの妻ヘラをなだめるために12の功業をあたえられたことから、herculean taskが「非常に困難な仕事」という意味になった。

（上記は、かなり省略した解説なので、興味のある方はヘラクレスの「12の功業」をググってください。

According to The Idioms:

A Herculean Task requires superhuman amounts of physical strength or mental effort in honour of the Greek God Hercules. The word Herculean describes Hercules himself and he is famous for his strength and labours in the Greek myths.
Hercules (known to the Greeks as Heracles) was given 12 labours that he had to complete to appease Hera (essentially for being born to Zeus and someone other than Hera. Zeus slept around a lot). Each of these tasks was considered to be nigh impossible including defeating the Hydra and retrieving Cerberus from the Underworld (without dying). Thus, an extremely difficult task is often described as "herculean."

Examples

• It will be a Herculean task to get through to the quarter-finals, but this untested team is up for the challenge.
• It was a Herculean task for me, but I tried my best.
• “The President informed the people that they had a Herculean task before them.”
• “The building of the Great Pyramids of Egypt must have been a Herculean effort.”
• It would be a measured and constructive gesture in the herculean task of providing more employment.

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Question of the Day #573

"Schools, charities and groups of concerned citizens have been trying to tackle the issue by offering free dinners for pupils who may not even be getting one square meal a day in the holidays, community lunch clubs and, of course, the record high in use of food banks. "

From the 4th paragraph of this article at The Guardian.

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

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---

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

《a ～》〔量的にも栄養的にも〕十分な［まともな］食事

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

a full or complete meal

Examples

• Inmates receive three square meals a day.
• You need a good square meal.
• ‘three square meals a day’
• They haven't had a square meal for four or five days. 
• You don't have to have three square meals a day. Times, Sunday Times (2008)

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Question of the Day #572

"Really, though, the Emmys are beside the point."

From the 7th paragraph of this article at the Los Angeles Times.

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

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---

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

〔話などの〕要点から外れて、的を外して、的外れで◆【同】off the point

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

Tangential or insignificant to the main issue being discussed.

Examples

• The exact cost is beside the point – what’s important is that we get the job done.
• Brian didn't like it, but that was beside the point.
• These criticisms are not beside the point; but they are not the point. Times, Sunday Times (2008)
• I do love the apartment, but that's beside the point because I don't have enough money for a security deposit right now.
• Your weekend plans are beside the point—let's get back to the topic at hand.

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Question of the Day #571

"‘Have a Heart for the Homeless’ is on the ball "

From the headline of this article at the Wellsville Daily Reporter.

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

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---

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

思いやりがある、情け深い心を持つ［起こす］

Answer

According to the McMillan Dictionary :

used for asking someone to be more reasonable, because they are asking you to do something that is too difficult or unpleasant

Examples

• "'There,' said he; 'now you have a heart that any man might be proud of'". Gregory Maguire WICKED: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST
• Don't make me write it again! Have a heart!
• Please let me go to the party – have a heart!
• Have a heart! I'll never get all that done.
• ‘They've given over a million dollars through our services to the evacuees there and so they have a heart.’

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Question of the Day #570

"And then what I was saying before about the probation agents, being able to do basically whatever they wanted, that’s been a real hot point with anybody, not only the people who are on probation, but their families because all of a sudden somebody is just locked up on a whim or what seems to be a whim."

From the 10th paragraph of this article at The Real News Network.

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

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---

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

〔行動などが〕気まぐれに、思い付きで、ふと思い付いて

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

Based on a sudden, impulsive urge, desire, or idea; without careful planning or because of a capricious inclination.

Examples

• On a whim, we drove to the beach for the weekend.
• Major governmental policies cannot be decided on a whim; they have to be carefully and rationally thought through.
• He quit his job on a whim.
• We decided, more or less on a whim, to sail to Morocco.
• “I got it on a whim one day a few years ago.”

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Question of the Day #569

"But also, if a Government or any entity regulates with a heavy hand, the risk is not only for free speech but also for future understanding of what free speech is. "

From the 10th paragraph of this article at Techthelead.com.

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

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---

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

締め付け

ただし、下記例文でわかるように「締め付け」の他に「きびしく」「過度に」等の意味もありますので、上手に意訳する必要があります。

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

—used to say that something has been done without delicacy or with too much force

Examples

• Henry and Richard both ruled with a heavy hand.
• The heavy hand of the military has not prevented their economies from doing very well.
• "All crimes against women were punished with a heavy hand much more severely than in modern times." "The Truth About Woman" by C. Gasquoine Hartley
• That's when he took over his ailing father's Buffalo-area store and ran it at times with a heavy hand. autonews.com
• Sulfur is a preservative that was used with a heavy hand in those days, though in recent years a movement toward natural winemaking has caught up with Burt 's practice. online.wsj.com

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Question of the Day #568

"Trump, Pelosi have chosen to fiddle while economy burns"

From the headline of this article at Gulf Today.

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

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---

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

自動詞

1. バイオリンを弾く
2. 時を空費する

他動詞

1. ～をバイオリンで弾く
2. 〔時を〕空費する
3. ～をいじくる、もてあそぶ
4. ～をだます、ごまかす

問題文の場合、「時を空費する」でいいでしょう。

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

Intransitive verb

1. to play on a fiddle
2. 1. to move the hands or fingers restlessly
   2. to spend time in aimless or fruitless activity: PUTTER, TINKER
   3. MEDDLE, TAMPER
   4. to make minor manual movements especially to adjust something

Transitive verb

1. to play (something) on a fiddle
2. CHEAT, SWINDLE
3. to alter or manipulate deceptively for fraudulent gain

Examples

• Put your papers down and stop fiddling with them!
• He stood there fiddling with his keys.
• "He looked at it and he started to fiddle with the cable," Mrs. Perez told The Telegraph. HARRY DANCES WITH CHILEAN CHILDREN|TOM SYKES|JUNE 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
• Harriet fiddled with a pen on the desk.
• She told Whistler that his portrait of her was finished and to stop fiddling with it.

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