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?

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、

〔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.”

このサイトが役に立つと思ったら、ぜひ英語に関心のある知り合いとシェアしてください。