Question of the Day #555

"The new billions in pandemic cash washing through the system will turbocharge an already massive gravy train at the expense of proper governance."

From the 6th paragraph of this article at Independent Australia.

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

《the ～》あぶく銭（gravy）［楽に金］を得られる仕事［地位］、おいしい［楽に稼げる］仕事

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

a much exploited source of easy money

Etymology/語源

Grammaristによると、

Gravy trainは、1900年代初頭にアメリカでできたイディオムです。もともと鉄道用語で、その本来の意味は乗務員があまり苦労することなく稼げる列車のことを言ったとされている。

According to the Grammarist:

Gravy train is an American term, dating back to the early 1900s. It is popularly believed to have originally been a railroad term, referring to a train run that paid well with little effort on the part of the crew. 

Examples

• They're trying to get on board the gravy train.
• Democratic proposals are designed to keep this gravy train running with ever larger injections of public funds. — Frederick M. Hess, National Review, "Break Up the B.A. Cartel," 7 Nov. 2019
• It’s unclear if the momentum against cronyism will be sustained, but for now – and for some people – the gravy train has stopped. — Washington Post, "Mahathir Looks Beyond Malaysia’s First Century," 8 July 2019
• We are overworked and underpaid while they are always on the gravy train.
• ‘I cut off the gravy train,’ Trump boasted during a meeting with his Cabinet, calling the payments a ‘disgrace’ because they pad the pockets of insurers instead of helping poor people. (The Daily Mail)

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