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?

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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?

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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?

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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?

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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?

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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?

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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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