小休止

5月26日の週は、アメリカの友人が家族・親族と一緒に来日しているので、そのアテンドでこのブログを1週間休みます。

Question of the Day #1254

US hurtling towards AI job boom, but an acute talent vacuum may throw a wrench in the progress

From the headline of this article at the India Times.

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

〈米話〉〔人の計画などを〕妨害［邪魔］する、混乱させる、台無し［めちゃくちゃ］にする、ぶち壊す

なお、throw a monkey wrenchとも言います。monkey wrenchとは、日本語で言うスパナです。また、後に続く前置詞はinの他にintoも使います。

さらに、throw a (monkey) wrench in(to) the worksともっと長い言い方もあります。

 

Answer

According to the Collins Dictionary:

If someone throws a wrench or throws a monkey wrench into a process, they prevent something happening smoothly by deliberately causing a problem.

 

Examples

1. The decision will throw a monkey wrench into our efforts to develop a national broadband policy.
2. But regulatory changes in the past month have thrown a wrench in those plans. Wall Street Journal (2021)
3. The president's decision to block the deal could throw 'a wrench right in the gears for wider deal flow', the source added. Times, Sunday Times (2018)
4. But once again they have been hit with external events that could throw a wrench in their plans. Globe and Mail (2003)
5. It'll really throw a monkey wrench into the works if the board decides not to increase our funding for this project.

   

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Question of the Day #1253

Controversial writer Michael Wolff says the pedophile was “utterly preoccupied” and told him, “Trump has no scruples.”

From the lede of this article at the Daily Beast.

  上記の文で、no scruplesの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "no scruples" 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feel no scruples aboutで

〔悪い行いなど〕に何のためらいも感じない

になりますので、no scruplesは、「〔悪い行いなど〕に何のためらいもない」になります。

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster, "scruple" means:

1. an ethical consideration or principle that inhibits action
2. the quality or state of being scrupulous
3. mental reservation

So, "no scruples" basically means, "not having an ethical consideration or principle that inhibits action."  

Examples

1. I have no scruples whatsoever in that connection.
2. Many of these wrecked cars get into the hands of back-street repairers who have no scruples.
3. no scruples against buying stolen goods
4. If you had no scruples at all, you'd just kill, steal, cheat, and do God knows what else.
5. He has no scruples about sacrificing a friend to save his own hide.

   

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Question of the Day #1252

Still, it stands out as another moment that could feed Arata's dissatisfaction with his lot in life.

From the 2nd paragraph of this article at the Anime News Network.

  上記の文で、one's lot in lifeの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "one's lot in life" 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、

自分の運命として受け入れる

   

Answer

According to Academic Dictionaries and Encyclopedias:

someone’s general situation in life, especially when this is not very good

 

Examples

1. She was never satisfied with her lot in life.
2. Sometimes you just have to accept your lot in life.
3. Unhappy with her lot in life, she moved to the city to start over.
4. ‘This is it; this is my lot in life – this is how it’s always going to be.’
5. What defines us is what we make with our lot in life.

   

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Question of the Day #1251

Thiessen: Trump isn't the first president to cozy up to Putin

From the headline of this article at The Ledger.

  上記の文で、cozy up to(someone)の意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "cozy up to (someone)" 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、

～と親しくなろうとする、～と近づきになろうとする、～に擦り寄る

注意してほしいのは、ただ「親しくなろうとする」のと、下心があって「親しくなろうとする」の両方の意味があります。

 

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

1. To move close (to someone) in order to snuggle.
2. By extension, to become friendly (with someone or some group), usually in an attempt to obtain something.

 

Examples

1. The puppies cozied up to their mother.
2. My toddler is always on the go these days, so I know she's not feeling well when she cozies up to me all of a sudden or willingly takes a nap.
3. The corporation has started cozying up to several foreign governments in an attempt to expand its influence.
4. People from across the city have been cozying up ever since I won the lottery.
5. Opponents say he has a record of cozying up to polluters and accepting their campaign donations.

   

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Question of the Day #1250

Over the course of his career, filmmaker Sean Baker has delivered intimate films of humanity and connection that take place in the nooks and crannies of society: the places that are often the most overlooked, economically, socially and cinematically.

From the 1st paragraph of this article at The Spokesman-Review.

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

隅々で

と言うことになりますが、単数のeach nook and crannyは、「ありとあらゆる場所、至る所」になっています。早い話、とちらも同じような意味です。
Nookの意味は「人目に付かない所、隠れ場所、避難所」と「〔部屋の〕片隅、引っ込んだ場所」でcrannyは「〔壁・岩などの〕割れ目」の意味になります。  

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

Every possible place or part of something, down to the smallest ones.

 

Examples

1. You need to clean every nook and cranny of this room before your grandmother gets here—it has to be spotless for her!
2. In the weeks before Christmas, we would search all the nooks and crannies of the house, trying to find our presents./a>
3. This historic county town is packed with interesting nooks and crannies to explore.
4. He unapologetically farms wildlife in the nooks and crannies of unproductive land and adapts incumbent methods. The Guardian (2021)
5. A soft brush is better than a hard one since it'll get into all the nooks and crannies. The Guardian (2015)

   

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Question of the Day #1249

Nadia Aslam caught up with Eventing athlete Imogen Murray to pick her brain about the challenges and joys of the sport she so dearly loves…

From the lede of this article at FEI (Federation Equestre Internationale).

  上記の文で、pick her (someone's) brainの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "pick her (someone's) brain" 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）の知識を借りる

この訳はどう思いますか？簡単に「（知識や経験が豊富な人）の知恵を借りる」または「（知識や経験が豊富な人）に教えてもらう」でいいのではないでしょうか。ビジネス界では、「知見を借りる」でもいいかもしれせん。
Pick someone's brainsとbrainにsをつけることもあります。もちろん脳を複数持っている人はいませんが、あたかも複数の脳を持っているかのように知識や経験が豊富な人から聞いていることが前提なので、このように言うのではないかと思います。

 

Answer

According to the Cambridge Dictionary:

to ask someone who knows a lot about a subject for information or their opinion

 

Examples

1. Can I pick your brain about how you got rid of those weeds?
2. I was picking Simon's brains about which computer to buy.
3. Do you have a moment? I need to pick your brain about a little situation that has come up.
4. He refused to prepare for the exam but counted on being able to pick his roommate's brains.
5. I'd like to pick your brains about something. Nothing urgent.

   

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Question of the Day 1248

‘Five Alarm Fire': How New Tax Law Could Decimate Nonprofits — and What Can Be Done

From the headline of this article at The Chronicle of Philanthropy.

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

＿回の出動警報の火災◆通例、1回の出動警報で2～3台の消防車を中心としたユニットが出動する。それで消し止められなければ次の出動警報を発生するため、火災の規模を出動警報の数で判定できる。1-alarm fireはすぐに消火できるような「ぼや」程度、2は一つの家屋の半焼や全焼、3や4は延焼を伴う火災である。通例5がかなり大規模な火災であるが、まれに10回以上の出動警報を伴う火災が起きるときがある。

問題の見出しの場合、この消防用語を比喩的に使用しているので、「緊急事態」「大惨事」ぐらいに訳して良いと思います。比喩的に"five-alarm fire" "five-alarm"（「最大」「最多」）等の意味で使用することが「専門用語」として使用することより一般的です。（下記例文を参照してください。）
上記説明に「10回以上の出動警報を伴う火災が起きるときがある」とありますが、一般的には5-alarm fireが一番高いレベルの火事と思っていいでしょう。

Answer

According to Mammoth Security Inc.:

Five-alarm Fire
This is a level of fire that is rarely called. In the case of a five-alarm fire, all available units are requested to appear on the scene. Additional support in the form of air support, hazardous material vehicles, and even additional resources for the firefighter’s well-being will be called.


The usage in the above headline is, of course, figurative. In this form, it can mean "major disaster" or something similar.

Examples

1. More than 30 people remain at Red Cross shelter following 5-alarm apartment fire in Overbrook
2. Paterson firefighters blast through concrete to douse flames in 5-alarm fire
3. The Economist: The tariff’s 5-alarm fire
4. ‘This Man Is Un-American!’ Chuck Todd Denounces ‘Five-Alarm Fire’ Elon Musk in Scorching Rant
5. Five-Alarm Chili Recipe

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