Question of the Day #1212

Where would we be if seriously dangerous situations like dark alleys at night didn’t give us the heebie-jeebies?

From the 2nd paragraph of this article at Psychology Today.

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

〈米俗〉〔恐怖・緊張などによる〕非常にナーバスな気持ち、神経過敏、ビクビクした状態

   

Answer

According to Dictionary.com:

Usually the heebie-jeebies. a condition of extreme nervousness caused by fear, worry, strain, etc.; the jitters; the willies

語源

英辞郎によると、

【語源】アメリカの漫画家Billy DeBeckの連載漫画「Barney Google and Snuffy Smith」からの新語

 

Etymology

According to Dictionary.com:

An Americanism dating back to 1920–25; rhyming compound coined by W. De Beck (1890–1942), American comic-strip cartoonist

 

Examples

1. Just thinking about ghosts gives me the heebie-jeebies.
2. Shoppers are getting spooky season heebie-jeebies The Consumer Confidence Index just experienced its largest drop since August 2021. — Melvin Backman, Quartz, 25 Sep. 2024
3. Either way, creepy kids have earned a permanent place in the horror canon. Ahead, see which movie and TV children give us major heebie-jeebies. — Ew Staff, EW.com, 15 July 2024
4. Who gives you the biggest heebie-jeebies of the bunch? — How To Save A Country, The New Republic, 27 Apr. 2023
5. I don't know what it is about him, he just gives me the heebie jeebies.

   

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Question of the Day #1211

FROM LIGHTBULBS TO SMARTPHONES: THE PRACTICE OF PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE

From the headline of this article at Population Matters.

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

  答えは、コメントに書いてください。
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明日、ここに答えを書きます。
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解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

計画的旧式化［陳腐化］◆メーカーが商品の寿命を意図的に短く設定して製造・販売すること。計画した販売期間が過ぎると、改良版または機能追加版を発売し、消費者に商品を買い替えさせて利益を得る。

なお、built-in obsolescenceということもあります。

 

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

the practice of making or designing something (such as a car) in such a way that it will only be usable for a short time so that people will have to buy another one

 

Examples

1. Critics allege that smartphone makers are the latest to follow the trend of planned obsolescence, or the claim that manufacturers deliberately design their products with a short shelf life to encourage consumers to buy the latest model. — Lionel Lim, Fortune, 29 Nov. 2023
2. In the digital age of planned obsolescence, that’s very significant. — Kevin Leblanc, ELLE, 14 Feb. 2023
3. The fashion industry’s business model is one based upon planned obsolescence. — Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes, 5 July 2022
4. Critics of planned obsolescence call it wasteful and dishonest, while supporters say that it is good for the economy.
5. They claim that a market structure of planned obsolescence and rapid innovation may be preferred to long-lasting products and slow innovation.

   

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Question of the Day #1210

A look at what DEI means amid Trump executive orders

From the headline of this article at ABC News.

  上記の文で、DEIとexecutive orderの意味は？
In the sentence above, what do "DEI" and "executive order" 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：
近年頻繁に使用される頭字語なのに英辞郎やWeblio等になぜか掲載されていない。Diversity, equity, and inclusionの頭字語ですが、包括的かつ分かりやすく説明しているのが日立のサイトのページだと思いますので転載します。

DEIとはなにか。DEIを構成する「3つの要素」について、説明します。

Diversity（ダイバーシティ）とは「多様性」を意味し、個人や集団に存在するさまざまな違いのことです。年齢や性別、セクシャリティ（性的指向）、人種、国籍、民族、宗教、障がいなどの違いにかかわらず、すべての人にとって心地よい居場所があることを意味しています。

Equity（エクイティ）とは、公平な扱い、不均衡の調整を行う「公正性」を意味します。私たちは一人ひとりが異なるため、全員が能力を発揮するには、一人ひとりに合った環境を整えることが重要という考え方です。

Inclusion（インクルージョン）とは、一人ひとりの多様性が認められ、誰もが組織に貢献できるという「包括性」を意味します。グローバル化が進み、異なる文化背景を持つ同僚と働く機会が増える中、企業には多様な人財が活躍できる場を提供することが迫られています。

  英辞郎によると executive orderの意味は、

〈米〉大統領行政命令◆Executive Orderとも表記される。◆【略】EO

 

Answer

The Oxford Review explains DEI as follows:

The initials DEI stands for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and might also be seen as DEI&E in some organisations and consultancies, which refers to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Equality.

The term ‘DEI’ has its roots in the social justice movements of the 1950’s and 60’s in the US and other countries like the UK. This was a period marked by a push for civil, equal rights and non-discrimination primarily based around the injustices being witnessed in those societies particularly around issues of race and gender inequalities such as segregation, voting, access to housing and other resources and other basic human rights.

These movements have gained increasing traction in recent years across societies in many countries particularly in the Western world. As a result of legislation in many countries enshrining human rights often focussing on equality, anti-discrimination and a recognition of the importance of diversity and inclusion in modern societies, DEI has, more recently, become the representation of all of those initiatives, especially in organisations [and] businesses.

  According to the American Bar Association an "executive order" is defined as follows:

One of the most common “presidential” documents in our modern government is an executive order. Every American president has issued at least one, totaling more than (as of this writing) 13,731 since George Washington took office in 1789. Media reports of “changes made by executive order,” or “executive orders to come” rarely explain what the document is, or other technical details, such as why, or how. They seem to be “instant law,” and, at times, steeped in controversy.

 

Examples

DEI

1. These three notions (diversity, equity, and inclusion) together represent "three closely linked values" which organizations seek to institutionalize through DEI frameworks.
2. DEI is most often used to describe certain training efforts, such as diversity training.
3. DEI has also been used to criticize and discredit high-ranking lawmakers and local officials.
4. The backlash against DEI may feel like a pendulum swing from 2020, when the nation faced a racial reckoning after Black father George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis by a White police officer.
5. Although the concepts may seem similar, affirmative action is different from DEI as it required federal contractors by executive order to treat applicants and employees equally based on race, color, religion and sex.

Executive order

1. “Executive Orders (EOs) are official documents … through which the President of the United States manages the operations of the Federal Government.”
2. The National Archives maintains a list of all Executive Orders indexed by Presidents, by Order number, and by subject.
3. Executive orders do not require any action by the Congress or state legislature to take effect, and the legislature cannot overturn it.
4. In lieu of lawmaking abilities, presidents historically have used executive orders to promote their policy agendas.
5. President Donald Trump issued a deluge of executive orders and directives on Monday evening, just hours after taking office.

   

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Question of the Day #1209

'Sadbait': Why algorithms, audiences and creators love to cry online

From the headline of this article at the BBC.

  上記の文で、sadbaitの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "sadbait" 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：
Sadbaitは、まだどこにも定義や訳はありません。しかし、同記事によると、

インターネット上にsadbaitと呼ばれているものでいっぱいです。あまり注目されませんが、人気の高いネット上の多くのコンテンツは哀愁のあるメロドラマ的なものです。

つまり、sad（悲しい）bait（〔釣りや狩りのわなの〕餌）は悲しいコンテンツで読者や視聴者を集めるものです。この用語は、clickbait（クリックベイト◆ウェブページの閲覧者にクリックしてみる気にさせるリンク（バナー広告など）の延長線上にあるものです。

 

Answer

According to the same BBC article:

The internet is flooded with what some call 'sadbait'. It gets far less attention, but some of today's most successful online content is melancholy and melodramatic.

 

Examples

1. 'SADBAIT': THE 'SAD' TREND THAT GAINED TRACTION ONLINE
2. Sadbait doesn't always have to be sad for viewers, either. 
3. Sadbait is such a winning strategy on social media that some post tutorials on how to make yourself cry for TikTok
4. Like anything else online, sadbait content might work for a simple reason: people want to see it.

   

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Question of the Day #1208

Are you guilty of doomscrolling? How the unhealthy social media trend is eroding your mental health

From the headline of this article at Glamour magazine.

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

【名】 ドゥーム・スクロール◆インターネットで悪い［悲観的な］ニュースや情報ばかりを検索する［読み続ける］こと。◆【対】joyscroll; joyscrolling

   

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

to spend excessive time online scrolling (see SCROLL entry 2) through news or other content that makes one feel sad, anxious, angry, etc.

 

Examples

1. Experts warn that doomscrolling can be harmful to your mental health.
2. If you're addicted to doomscrolling, try jumping straight out of bed in the morning rather than reaching for your phone.
3. With her endless doomscrolling, it's hardly surprising she's so depressed.
4. For the past two months I've spent big chunks of my day doomscrolling through bad news and preprint studies about mask effectiveness and virus transmission. —Charlie Warzel
5. … stop doomscrolling. You don't need to know every detail of every tragedy. And you certainly don't need to see what all those strangers on the internet think about it. —Ryan J. Rusak

   

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Question of the Day #1207

IT MIGHT float someone’s boat – but not Dorset Council planners.

From the lede of this article at the Bridport News.

  上記の文で、float someone's boatの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "float someone's boat" 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。
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解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

1. 〈話〉（人）に興味［関心］を起こさせる、（人）をワクワク［どきどき］させる
2. 〈話〉（人）を性的に興奮させる

   

Answer

According to the Cambridge Dictionary:

to be what someone likes or is interested in

 

Examples

1. Motor racing doesn't really float my boat.
2. I can see its appeal. But it doesn't float my boat.
3. I invited Lily to join us, but horror films don't float her boat.
4. Remember there are no hard and fast rules, just go with whatever floats your boat.
5. I think this new job in the lab will really float Isabel's boat.

   

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Question of the Day #1206

Refreshed Tesla Model Y Looks Even Wonkier In Real Life

From the headline of this article at Jalopnik.

  上記の文で、wonkyの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "wonky" 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. 〈英俗〉不安定な、グラグラする、ヨロヨロする
2. 〈英俗〉状態の悪い、正常でない
3. 〈英俗〉信頼できない
4. 〈米俗〉がり勉の、くそ真面目な、勤勉な

上記見出しは、アメリカのサイトのものですが、look wonkyの訳は「不安定に見える・状態の悪いように見える・正常ではないように見える」が適切です。


 

Answer

According to the Cambridge Dictionary wonky means:

1. weak, unsatisfactory, or not firm:
2. not straight or level
3. (of fruit or vegetables) not of a regular shape, or different in shape to what is usual

So, if something "looks wonky" it means something looks a little crooked, wobbly, or off-balance.

 

Examples

1. And they do not wish to share it -- it's a crutch, a prop, for a wonky ego. From CNN
2. If you don't feel like messing with wonky browser plugins, there are good standalone apps you can use. From The Verge
3. But study what's happening, and the logistics sometimes look wonky -- things you can't unsee once the bloom fades. From TIME
4. There's also something wonky going on with the waist area and right thigh of her jeans, we suspect. From Huffington Post
5. If you want the wonky details or are just curious to see how it works, read on. From NPR

   

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Question of the Day #1205

Chilly weather, leather-lunged crowd greeted Miami in 1993 showdown

From the headline of this article at The Shepherdstown Chronicle.

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

大声でしゃべりまくる

下記の英語の定義を見ると、英辞郎のニュアンスがちょっと違うと思います。ただ「大声でしゃべりまくる」のではなく、誰かが「inordinately（過度に、異常に、法外に）大きな声」を出している時に使います。

 

Answer

According to :

having an inordinately loud voice

 

Examples

1. The leather-lunged senator carried on the filibuster for 18 hours.
2. Throughout the album, her guests give their all to keep pace with Kidjo’s leather-lunged fervor. - From New York Times
3. Christina Aguilera and Demi Lovato were two leather-lunged singers in search of a song in their tuneless "Fall in Line," while John Legend's corny "A Good Night" made him look like he'd gotten lost on his way to a gig at somebody's wedding. - From Los Angeles Times
4. One of the notable effects of technical change has been the obsolescence of leather-lunged oratory of the William Jennings Bryan school, in favor of the "fireside chat" of Franklin Roosevelt; with electrical amplification, a speaker could use conversational style and still be understood in a large auditorium. - 1980, Raven I. McDavid Jr., American English: Essays
5. Some make a story arc of their performances, like Clarkson, who grew over Season 1 from wallflower to leather-lunged sensation. - 2007 April 4, James Poniewozik, “Why American Idol Keeps Soaring"

 

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Question of the Day #1204

Trump is back to normal, meaning unhinged

From the headline of this article at the Daily Kos.

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

〔精神的に〕不安定な、気の動転した、動揺した、錯乱した

   

Answer

According to :

highly disturbed, unstable, or distraught

 

Examples

1. Somewhere along the way, her pursuit of a hot guy turned into unhinged obsession. — Cosmopolitan
2. I sometimes think that your mother is a little unhinged.
3. Understand that restrained is usually better than expansive and that unhinged almost never works.
Drama High by Michael Sokolove
4. Radcliffe somehow missed the part where the child star becomes an unhinged jerk. — Chris Vognar, Rolling Stone, 15 Nov. 2023
5. That time apart made Swift’s heart grow fonder since Midnights is full of unabashed and slightly unhinged love songs. — Shannon Carlin, Time, 21 Oct. 2022

   

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Question of the Day #1203

She does not know me from Adam.

From the 13th paragraph of this article from Adam Peter Wise .

  上記の文で、not know (someone) from Adamの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "not know (someone) from Adam" 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、

（人）を見たことがない［全く知らない］、（人）のことが全く分からない◆【語源】アダムとは、人類最初の人間であり、誰も見たことがありません。「（人）とアダムの区別がつかない」ということは、その人がアダムのように見ず知らずの人であるという意味。◆【参考】know A from B

   

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

to have never met with someone: to not know someone at all

 

Examples

1. Why should she trust me? She doesn't know me from Adam.
2. The man greeted me like an old friend, but I didn't know him from Adam.
3. Although I have worked here for two months, I've never seen the department head; I wouldn't know her from Adam.
4. Even though Jake had worked at the company for nearly 10 years, the boss still didn't know him from Adam.
5. I don't blame them for not giving me permission right away. They don't know me from Adam.

   

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Question of the Day #1202

People in stitches over Heinz advert blunder as they say company 'failed GCSE English'

From the headline of this article at the Express.

  上記の文で、in stitchesの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "in stitches" 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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Question of the Day #1201

Katrina Kaif and Aamir Khan shake a leg in dance practice for 'Suraiyya', watch BTS

From the headline of this article at Republic World.

  上記の文で、shake a legの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "shake a leg" 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. さっさと始める、急ぐ◆相手の動きが鈍い、あるいは自分がイライラしているという意味が含まれることが多い。◆【類】hurry; make haste
2. 踊る

問題の見出しの場合、上記の両方の意味の他に直訳の意味も兼ねているように思います。

 

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

1. slang To go faster; to hurry.
2. slang To dance for fun.

 

Examples

1. Hey, kids, shake a leg! You're going to be late for school!
2. I want to get there before sundown, so let's shake a leg.
3. I loved to shake a leg when I was younger, but I don't have the energy for it anymore.
4. You'd better shake a leg or we'll miss the first act
5. Come on, Nick, shake a leg or we'll never be ready in time.

   

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Question of the Day #1200

The Science of Bath Bombs (and How to Make Them)

From the headline of this article at Live Science.

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

バスボム◆湯に入れると泡が出る入浴剤。

   

Answer

According to LanGeek Dictionary:

a small fizzy cosmetic product that dissolves in water, releasing fragrances, colors, and nourishing ingredients for a pleasant bath-time experience

 

Examples

1. My friend bought me a blackberry bath bomb for my birthday.
2. You can make your own effervescing bath bomb.
3. Do you like the idea of a chocolate bath bomb?
4. The bath bomb was invented in 1989 by Lush Cosmetics co-founder Mo Constantine.
5. The original bath bomb was patented by the Constantines in 1989 under the brand name 'Cosmetics To Go'.

   

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