Question of the Day #890

Shoppers able to navigate the shifting sands of online deals can save big money during the holiday gift season, but it takes real time to track price changes and product inventory across multiple stores.

From the headline of this article at CNET.

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

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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：
ichacha.net英和辞典によると、

［the ～］〔…の〕絶えず変化する状況〔of〕．

なお、下記英語の定義にあるように、「絶えず変化する状況」だけではなく主に「特に理解・対応しにくい絶えず変化する状況」です。
 

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

The constantly changing circumstances or aspects of something that makes it particularly difficult to understand or contend with.

   

Examples

• My husband has had trouble maintaining a job in the shifting sands of the economy.
• It is difficult to keep up with the shifting sands of technology. As soon as I understand one concept another is introduced.
• The company was built on the hot and shifting sands of finance, not the rock of industry.
• The problem is that the whole economy has been built on the shifting sands of finance, not the rock of industry.
• Part of the problem is that we've convinced ourselves that personal happiness depends on the shifting sands of romantic love, which does real damage to our ability to live fulfilled and contented lives as independent people.

   

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