Question of the Day #997

Guest of Honour — David Thewlis as a food inspector in a cockamamie stew

From the headline of this article at .

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

1. 〈米俗〉つまらない、価値のない、無意味な
2. 〈米俗〉〔話・言い訳などが〕ばかげた、途方もない

Cockamamyと綴ることもあります。
 

Answer

According to Dictionary.com:

ridiculous, pointless, or nonsensical:

 

語源

英辞郎によると、

1920年頃にdecalcomaniaから作られ、1960年頃に流行したもの。紙から手や腕などに写し取った絵はすぐに消えてしまうため、「品質が悪い」「つまらない」という意味が生じ、後に「ばかばかしい」という意味が派生したと考えられている。

 

Etymology

According to ,

American English slang word attested by 1946, popularized c. 1960, but said to be New York City children's slang from mid-1920s; perhaps an alteration of decalcomania (see decal). There is a 1945 recorded use of the word apparently meaning a kind of temporary tattoo used by children.

 

Examples

• of all the cockamamy excuses I ever heard — Leo Rosten
• He had some cockamamie idea about turning waste paper into animal food.
• I've got plans, and I'm going to make them work while you mess about with this cockamamy idea.
• Dadi only talked like that, all formal and stuff, when she was cooking up some cockamamie plan that would usually end up with something valuable broken. From Twinkle, with Love
• “Maybe we’ve done a stupid, cockamamie thing, taking these kids in,” Tiller said. Ruby Holler

   

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