Question of the Day #1415

Want to Avoid Having a Picky Eater? Start Exposing Your Kids to Veggies Super Early—in the Womb

From the headline of this article at the Smithsonian Magazine.

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

《a ～》好き嫌いの多い［激しい］人、食べ物にえり好みをする人

   

Answer

According to Wiktionary:

A person who is highly selective in what they do eat and what they do not eat.

 

Examples

1. I don't want her to become a fussy or picky eater, but this could happen. - The Sun
2. I just had to respond to last week's diatribe on 'picky eaters'. - Times, Sunday Times
3. Only later did it occur to us that maybe the picky eaters had taken sensible precautions. - Times, Sunday Times
4. Picky eaters are defined as those who consume an inadequate variety of food through rejection of a substantial amount of food stuffs that are both familiar and unfamiliar.
5. Adult picky eaters remain an under researched group.

   

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Question of the Day #1414

Don’t lollygag in cars, COVID

From the headline of this article at The Maui News.

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

【自動】
〈米話〉時間を浪費する［のんびり過ごす］

なお、「時間を浪費する人」をlollygaggerと言います。

 

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

informal
: to fool around and waste time : DAWDLE

 

Examples

1. Stop lollygagging and get to work.
2. For the players, the summer is not a time to lollygag. — Eliav Appelbaum, Daily News, 1 May 2025
3. However, if the U.S. is really going to pull-off such a massive shift in its energy supply, it can’t wait and lollygag around. - From Slate • Sep. 16, 2021
4. Inside the park, they lollygag in meadows along the main road, coexisting easily with the tourists. - From The Wall Street Journal • Aug. 19, 2016
5. They were under strict orders from their mother to run – not lollygag or walk or jog, but run – directly home after hitting the road’s curve. - From The Guardian • Jan. 3, 2016

   

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Question of the Day #1413

Learning to “run with it”

From the headline of this article at Furman News.

  上記の文で、run with itの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "run with it" mean?

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明日、ここに答えを書きます。
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解答

意味：
英辞郎には、run with itだけでは掲載されていませんが、take the ball and run with it はあります。その意味は、

前任者から引き継いで主導権［リーダーシップ］を発揮する

 

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

To take the initiative to do something independently.

 

Examples

1. I got this really good idea for an ad campaign. I think I'm going to just run with it and present it to the boss when it's done.
2. Teresa is a good reporter because when she sees a good story, she runs with it—she doesn't wait to be told what to cover.
3. The Japanese took that technology and ran with it.
4. It's up to him. If he studies, fine. If not, there's nothing we can do. He's the one who has to take the ball and run with it.
5. We had a very vague idea of what we wanted, but the marketing team just took the ball and ran with it.

   

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Question of the Day #1412

Rui Vitória proud of bumptious Benfica

From the headline of this article at UEFA.com.

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

【形】
〔能力を自慢し過ぎて〕横柄な、偉そうな、傲慢な、高慢ちきな、尊大な

   

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

presumptuously, obtusely, and often noisily self-assertive : OBTRUSIVE

 

Examples

1. And it’s been a very bumptious relationship ever since. — David Frum, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026
2. Gorsuch’s abrupt pivot to arrogance has been on full display in his bumptious opinions and questions from the bench. — Mark Joseph Stern, Slate Magazine, 18 Oct. 2017
3. Americans are not afraid of bumptious, raucous, and robust debate about these matters. — Joe Palazzolo, WSJ, 6 Apr. 2018
4. “And what do you know? You are too young: you smell of your mother’s milk. You have the bumptious, graceless confidence of the recently born.” -
 Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell
5. As a bitter and somewhat bumptious critic Mr. Weaver made his early reputation on the Chicago Daily News. - Time Magazine Archive

   

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Question of the Day #1411

CBS News Chicago Layoffs Rattle Journalists: ‘A Crying Shame’

From the headline of this article at IMDb.

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

非常に残念なこと

   

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

a situation that makes one feel sad or disappointed

 

Examples

1. That struck me as both a crying shame and wholly unsurprising. — Chris Weatherspoon, The Athletic, 18 Mar. 2025
2. It's a crying shame that we never met again in later life. - The Sun (2010)
3. It is unlikely to happen, which is a crying shame. - The Sun (2013)
4. It's a crying shame that so much money has been wasted on this pointless political campaign.
5. It's a crying shame that people cannot afford adequate housing.

   

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Question of the Day #1410

Watch moment Holly Willoughby left screaming and swearing as she braves white-knuckle lap round F1 track

From the headline of this article at The Sun.

  上記の文で、white-knuckleの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "white-knuckle" 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。
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、

【形】
• ひどく緊張させる、手に汗握る、ハラハラさせる、ゾッとさせる、肝を冷やす

• ひどく緊張させるもの、ハラハラさせるもの、ゾッとさせるもの

   

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

marked by, causing, or experiencing tense nervousness

 

語源

英辞郎によると、

【語源】緊張や恐怖で拳を強く握り締めると指関節の皮膚が白く見える様子から  

 

Etymology

According to Wiktionary:

Evoking the imagery of tightly clenched hands with reduced bloodflow to the knuckles.

   

Examples

1. Hats off to both sets of players for providing such a white-knuckle ride over two legs. - The Guardian (2015)
2. But if this is all too much of a white-knuckle experience there are rides for all ages. - The Sun (2010)
3. At eight episodes, of course, the show can’t possibly be the white-knuckle trip that the film was. — Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 4 May 2024
4. Zion Adventures has had climbers as young as 5 and as old as 74 white-knuckle their way along the routes. — Shoshi Parks, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Feb. 2024
5. Your fun night out is suddenly about to become a wild, white-knuckle ride into the abyss. — Pitchfork, 11 Dec. 2023

   

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Question of the Day #1409

Zhuzh Up Your Web Content with Widgets and Styles

From the headline of this article at Lewis & Clark.

  上記の文で、zhuzhの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "zhuzh" 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：
英辞郎に単語としてのzhuzhはありませんが、句動詞のzhuzh upはあってその意味は、

おしゃれで今風な感じにする

なお、動詞の他に名詞としてもzhuzhを使うことができます。

 

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

Noun
• a small improvement, adjustment, or addition that completes the overall look, taste, etc. of something

Verb
• to improve in flavor or appearance by way of a small improvement, adjustment, or addition —often used with up

 

語源

英辞郎によると、

◆髪に泡状整髪剤やディップなどをつけてわざと少し乱れた感じにしてみたり、袖を少しまくり上げてみたりなど、ちょっと手を加えて洗練さやスタイリッシュな感じを増すこと。米国のコメディードラマ『Queer Eye for the Straight Guy』（2003年）で、ゲイのヘア・スタイリストやファッション関係者などがせりふで多用し、流行語となった。

 

Etymology

According to Merriam-Webster:

The word has been in use since at least the 1970s, and gained wild popularity during the 2018 reboot of Queer Eye, a television series in which a fellow needing help in the areas of fashion, grooming, living space, food, and social grace gets a makeover courtesy of five talented gay men. While often used as a verb (usually paired with up), zhuzh is also a noun that refers to a small improvement or adjustment, as in “my hair just needs a quick zhuzh and I’ll be ready to go.”

   

Examples

1. Even ingredients such as sour cream, tofu, and eggs can be revived after freezing, and items such as tortillas and bread can be zhuzhed up in a toaster or pan. —Anna Perling
2. What are a few things people can do to make a basic grocery store bouquet really sparkle, get to that next level? … What can we do to zhuzh it up? —Andee Tagle
3. The stylist said he would zhuzh up the outfit with a hat.
4. The former New Inn now boasts a zhuzhed-up beer garden.
5. They just want you to basically be able to take something you’ve already written and kind of zhuzh it up a little bit.
- New York Times, Jun 14, 2024

   

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Question of the Day #1408

NM renewable energy advocates decry 'herky-jerky' policies

From the headline of this article at the Public News Service.

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

【形】
発作的に動く、ぎくしゃくした動きの

 問題の見出しの場合、意訳として「一貫性のない」「でたらめな」等がいいのではないかと思います。

 

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

characterized by sudden, irregular, or unpredictable movement or style

 

Examples

1. The herky-jerky motion of the camera made the mobile phone video difficult to watch.
2. We enjoyed watching her imitate the herky-jerky dance moves of her favourite cartoon character.
3. Hamstring injuries are notoriously tricky, particularly for players such as Dončić, whose games rely on herky-jerky changes of speed and direction. —Law Murray, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2026
4. The way that life unfolds in herky-jerky, unpredictable rhythms informs the experimental approach that Dijon, a 33-year-old producer-singer, takes to R&B. —Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2025
5. It's a deliciously strange, herky-jerky pop number, orchestrated by synth bassoons and merry-go-round organs. - From BBC • Feb. 12, 2024

   

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Question of the Day #1407

MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT CATTY-CORNER FROM BELLAMONT RV PARK

From the headline of this article at Bellamont RV Park News.

  上記の文で、catty-cornerの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "catty-corner" 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：
英辞郎には、catty-corneredとして掲載されていますが、同じ意味です。

【形】
1. 対角線の、はすかいの、斜め向かいの
【副】
2. 対角を成して、対角的に、はすかいに

同じ意味でkitty-cornerとも言います。

 

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

in a diagonal or oblique position

 

Examples

1. Our offices are next to the bank and catty-corner from McDonald's restaurant.
2. He approached the hospital catty-corner, through the parking lots.
3. Then she leant forwards – the cottage rooms were small, so our sofa and her chair were close to each other, catty-corner – and took my and Hifa’s clasped hands in hers.
4. The clothing shop is just catty-corner to our barracks.
-- What the Night Sings by Vesper Stamper
5. She’s just sitting at her desk, catty-corner to mine, with her hands clasped in front of her, and her thick dark braid twisting over her shoulder.
-- The Science of Breakable Things by Tae Keller

   

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Question of the Day #1406

In a pickle: 3 arrested, 115 kg of meth seized in B.C. shipment destined for Australia

From the headline of this article at the Northern Sentinel.

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

《be ～》困っている、厄介なことになっている、困った立場に陥っている、苦境にある

なお、下記英語の定義にあるようにpickleの形容詞としてprettyやrightがしばしば使われます。

 

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

In a troublesome or difficult situation. The adjectives "pretty" and "right" are commonly used before "pickle."

 

語源

英辞郎によると、

in de pekel zitten（漬け汁の中に座っている ⇒ どうすればよいのか分からない）というオランダ語のイディオムの直訳に由来する。

なお、下記Wiktionaryの英語の語源では、英語で初めて使用されたのがシェークスピアのThe Tempestのようです。

 

Etymology

According to Wiktionary:

The term refers to being in pickling solution, presumably unpleasant. It was first used in English by William Shakespeare in The Tempest (1611), although the phrase had been used in Dutch earlier.

   

Examples

1. Boy, am I in a pickle—I accidentally made plans to meet with two different clients today.
2. We're in a pretty pickle now because the hotel gave our room away.
3. Oh, we're in a pickle, all right! Just how are we going to explain this to the boss without getting fired?
4. He was likely in a pickle, what with Uncle Dan being ill and just one maid left to do the lot.
5. 2021 September 1, Taylor Lorenz, “She’s the Investor Guru for Online Creators”, in The New York Times‎[1], →ISSN:
   Cody Ko, a YouTube star with 5.7 million subscribers, found himself in a pickle in May.

   

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Question of the Day #1405

What it takes to put the pedal to the metal this winter

From the headline of this article at the CBC.

  上記の文で、put the pedal to the metalの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "put the pedal to the metal" 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。
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、

〔自動車の〕ペダル［アクセル］を思い切り踏み込む、思い切り車の速度を上げる、全力で進む

Putの他にpress/push/keepを使うこともできます。

 

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

1. to drive very fast
2. to work very quickly

 

Examples

1. It would normally take us three days driving to New York from Colorado, but with my brother putting the pedal to the metal, we made it in two.
2. We're going to be late—put the pedal to the metal!
3. Put the pedal to the metal, boys—we need to get these packages shipped by the end of the day.
4. Later, Brooks' brother alleged that racism helped put the pedal to the metal.
5. By the second half of the game, the Tigers had really started to put the pedal to the metal.

   

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Question of the Day #1404

About South County: Classless comments apropos of outgoing RIDOT director’s legacy

From the headline of this article at IndependentRI.com .

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

【副】

1. 〈文〉適切に、折よく
2. 〈文〉さて、ところで

【形】

1. 〈文〉折よい、適切な

   

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

adjective

1. being both relevant and opportune

adverb

1. at an opportune time: SEASONABLY
2. by way of interjection or further comment : with regard to the present topic

 

Examples

1. The ceremony concluded with the reading of an apropos poem.
2. The comment, though unexpected, was apropos.
3. This short yet spacious and powerful book … reminds us of the careful and apropos writing of J. M. Coetzee, W. G. Sebald and Uwe Timm. —Thomas McGuane, New York Times Book Review, 24 June 2007
4. I went up to New York last weekend; apropos, have you seen your New York cousins lately?
5. Surefire Market is located where Leah & Louise used to be, and that seems apropos. —Timothy Depeugh, Charlotte Observer, 19 Feb. 2026

   

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Question of the Day #1403

Trump Offers Rose-Colored Glasses in Economic-Focused Speech

From the headline of this article at Bloomberg Government.

  上記の文で、rose-colored glassesの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "rose-colored glasses" 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、

楽観的な考え方◆【直訳】バラ色の眼鏡 ⇒ それを通すと全てがバラ色に見える。過剰な楽観の例え。

   

Answer

According to Dictionary.com:

a cheerful or optimistic view of things, usually without valid basis.

 

Examples

1. Optimists really do seem to look at the world through rose-colored glasses.
2. He saw life through rose-colored glasses.
3. Everyone on Wall Street supposedly was wearing rose-colored glasses back in early 2000. - From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
4. I don’t have blinders or rose-colored glasses on when it comes to the state of America and how race shapes the way people see the world. - From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 16, 2023
5. "That always happens when someone dies. People put on rose-colored glasses and talk about the good times." - From "How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon

   

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Question of the Day #1402

A Government that can ‘find money at the drop of a hat’ for one industry cannot seek restraint at pay talks, Sligo gathering hears

From the headline of this article at the Irish Independent.

  上記の文で、at the drop of a hatの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "at the drop of a hat" 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. 合図一つで、早速、すぐさま
2. 〔ちょっとした機会があると〕ためらわずに、待ってましたと言わんばかりに

   

Answer

According to the Longman Dictionary:

immediately and without pausing to think about what you are going to do

 

Examples

1. Some of these corporations threaten to sue at the drop of a hat.
2. He's willing to organize anything guests want at the drop of a hat.
3. I hate to speak in public, but she’ll get up on stage at the drop of a hat.
4. India is one part of the world I would go to at the drop of a hat.
5. It could all just go to waste at the drop of a hat. - The Guardian (2021)

   

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Question of the Day #1401

Color Me Creative

From the headline of this article at Science.

  上記の文で、color me ~の意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "color me ~" 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：
Color meは、英辞郎では単独の訳はなく必ず対象の単語との熟語としての訳しかありません。そこで、下記The Free Dictionaryの定義を訳すと、

特定の感情や状態を表す感嘆のあまり発する言葉

です。

英辞郎でcolor meを検索したページは、さまざまな使い方の参考になると思いますので、ぜひご覧になってください。

 

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

An exclamation used to indicate some particular emotion or condition.

 

Examples

1. You did the dishes and cleaned your room? Well, color me amazed—I never thought the day would come!
2. A: "See? I told you I wasn't the one who did it." B: "Color me wrong. Sorry, Tom."
3. We're actually getting a raise this year? Whoa, color me shocked!
4. Well, color me surprised! I wasn't expecting you here.
5. Oh, phew. Color me relieved.

   

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Question of the Day #1400

Now that you Know the Ropes, Here's How to Climb Higher

From the headline of this article at EMEA Recruitment.

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

こつを知っている

「こつ」とありますが、とある組織等の「仕組み」「内情」等、主語次第で意訳がかなりあります。
 

Answer

According to :

To be familiar with the details of an operation

 

Examples

1. “You won't have to train the new computer operator; she already knows the ropes.”
2. That creates a daunting challenge — particularly for young investigators, who don’t yet know the ropes. From Nature • May 23, 2017
3. That you can know the ropes and yet not be hemmed in by them. From The Guardian • Jun. 8, 2018
4. The moment she got to know the ropes, there was no stopping her. Forbes, Bryan THE ENDLESS GAME
5. I know it's a lot to take in right now, but you'll get to know the ropes soon enough.

   

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Question of the Day #1399

Peru robbery: Shoe-shop thieves get off on the wrong foot

From the headline of this article at the BBC.

  上記の文で、get off on the wrong footの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "get off on the wrong foot" 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.

 

---

   

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

第一歩［出だし］を誤る、出だしで失敗する［つまずく］、悪いスタートを切る、滑り出しに失敗する

Getの代わりにstarted off on the wrong footと言うこともできます。また、反対の意味としてget/start off on the right footと言うこともできます。
 

Answer

According to the Longman Dictionary:

to start a job, relationship, etc badly by making a mistake that annoys people

 

Examples

1. We got off on the wrong foot the other day and it was my fault.
2. We just got off on the wrong foot the other day.
3. Would you give some advice on how to start my new business? I don’t want to get off on the wrong foot.
4. Unfortunately, Pope got off on the wrong foot with his new troops.
5. He got off on the wrong foot with a tactless remark about his audience.

   

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Question of the Day #1398

Here's why I don't care about fair weather fans and you shouldn't either

From the headline of this article at CBS Sports.

  上記の文で、fair weather fanの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "fair weather fan" 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.

 

---

   

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

《野球》好天の時だけのファン◆勝っているときだけそのチームを応援するファンのこと。  

   

Answer

According to Your Dictionary:

A fan who only pays attention to their favorite team when they are performing well.

 

Examples

1. I've been rooting for the home team in their playoff run, but I'll admit I'm just a fair-weather fan.
2. Yeah, I get sad when the Marlins lose, but I still support them regardless. I'm not a fair-weather fan.
3. Please, you're just a fair-weather fan. I know you can't name five players on the team!
4. He's just a fair-weather fan who disappears when the team starts losing.
5. Fair-weather fans are often criticized by loyal supporters.

   

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Question of the Day #1397

Pair have other fish to fry

From the headline of this article at The Irish Times.

  上記の文で、have other fish to fryの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "have other fish to fry" 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.

 

---

   

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

〔依頼・提案などに応じられない理由として〕他にやるべきことがある

   

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

To have more important or more interesting things to do or attend to.

 

Examples

1. I hope the boss keeps this meeting short—we all have other fish to fry.
2. I can't worry about that now, I have other fish to fry!
3. "We've got a few other fish to fry before we get there, but I think we've said since we introduced Jacob that he's got a huge future in front of him," McCullum said. - From BBC • Sep. 8, 2025
4. As it turns out, the administration has other fish to fry at the moment. - From Salon • Jul. 12, 2019
5. "We have so many other fish to fry," said Robin Raphel, a former assistant secretary of State for South Asia who is a senior associate with the Center for Strategic and International Studies think-tank. - From Reuters • Apr. 3, 2022

   

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Question of the Day #1396

Managing Partner Sam Pond Pays His Respects at Workers’ Memorial Breakfast

From the headline of this article at Pond Lehocky.

  上記の文で、pay one’s respectsの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "pay one’s respects" 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.

 

---

   

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

敬意を表する、表敬訪問する、弔問に訪れる

 

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

to visit or speak with someone in a polite way as a sign of respect

 

Examples

1. I went up to her after the meeting and paid my respects.
2. I think we should go over and pay our respects to the new neighbors and make them feel welcome to the area!
3. I'm heading to Janet's house after her father's funeral on Sunday to pay my respects to her and her family.
4. 2025 April 21, Devin Watkins, “Pope Francis has died on Easter Monday aged 88”, in Vatican News‎[1]:
   Mr. Bruni told journalists that, as of Monday evening, Pope Francis' closest collaborators have begun to pay their respects to the late Pope.
5. “After all, it’s the usual thing to do, isn’t it, to pay one’s respects to a bride?” - From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier

   

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Question of the Day #1395

Israel’s fait accompli in Gaza

From the headline of this article at Al Jazeera.

  上記の文で、fait accompliの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "fait accompli" 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。
I will add the answer and other remarks here tomorrow.

 

---

   

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

〈フランス語〉既成事実

   

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

 a thing accomplished and presumably irreversible

 

Examples

1. In some years, the presentation of the best picture prize in the final minutes of the Oscars telecast feels like a fait accompli. - Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 15 Mar. 2026
2. The citizens of New York City will be faced with a fait accompli. - David Donovan, New York Daily News, 22 May 2024
3. That’s not a criticism that this was some sort of fait accompli. — Albert Breer, SI.com, 8 Feb. 2018
4. The policy change was presented to us as a fait accompli, without consultation or discussion.
5. But his promise to review consultant contracts that have been normally regarded as a fait accompli is a good start, some observers say. - From Salon • Mar. 8, 2025

   

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Question of the Day #1394

Maryland becomes first state to ban surveillance pricing in grocery stores

From the headline of this article at the Guardian.

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

 

---

     

解答

意味：
英辞郎にこの用語はまだ掲載されていないので、AIツールギャラリー の説明を引用します。

いま、AIを使って一人ひとりに異なる価格を表示する「監視プライシング（Surveillance Pricing）」が、米国を中心に広がっています。
購入履歴、閲覧行動、使っているブラウザやスマートフォンの機種、さらにはバッテリー残量まで分析し、「この人ならいくらまで払うか」をAIが算出して価格を変える仕組みです。

   

Answer

According to Epic.org:

Surveillance pricing is the practice of collecting personal information about consumers and charging different prices to individual (or groups of) consumers for the same goods or services. The goal of surveillance pricing is to infer the highest price that the customer is willing to pay, based on consumers’ personal data and other market data.

 

Examples

1. “Surveillance Pricing” Hurts Consumers, Incentivizes More Corporate Spying on Them
2. There’s no doubt that at core, the kind of leverage that surveillance pricing enables is something that hurts ordinary people — especially those least able to afford it.
3. The Federal Trade Commission’s initial findings from its surveillance pricing market study revealed that details like a person’s precise location or browser history can be frequently used to target individual consumers with different prices for the same goods and services.
4. Have you ever shopped online for a flight, only to find that the price mysteriously increased the second time you checked? Or have you and a friend searched for the same hotel room on your phones, only to find your friend sees a lower price? This isn’t a glitch — it’s surveillance pricing at work.
5. What makes surveillance pricing controversial isn’t just the price difference — it’s that you usually don’t know it’s happening. There’s rarely any disclosure or obvious way to compare your price with what others see.

   

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Question of the Day #1393

FCC Demands Early Review of Disney Broadcast Licenses Amid Kimmel Kerfuffle

From the headline of this article at Yahoo! News Malaysia.

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

 

---

     

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

【名】
〈英俗〉〔不要な〕ばか騒ぎ、騒動◆可算

   

Answer

According to :

a disturbance or commotion typically caused by a dispute or conflict

 

Examples

1. Allow me also to say one thing about the issue that has created some kerfuffle, namely voting rights.
2. We have all this great kerfuffle over one year—reducing the age from 21 to 20.
3. The kerfuffle comes amid questions about whether Mamdani will go forward with a project that would expand luxury housing at Hudson Yards. — Marcia Kramer, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
4. A kerfuffle ensued about whether the Africans had the right to take a lunch break. — Namwali Serpell, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2017
5. This has caused, to put it mildly, no end of kerfuffle. — Josef Adalian, Vulture, 14 Sep. 2023

   

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Question of the Day #1392

SOONER OR LATER, WE ALL JUMP THE SHARK

From the headline of this article at My Sun Day News.

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

 

---

   

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

〈俗〉〔一時は人気があった存在・特にテレビドラマなどが〕落ち目になる、人気回復を狙って悪あがき［やたらと派手なことを］する

   

Answer

According to the Cambridge Dictionary:

(usually of television shows) to reach a point where something stops becoming more popular or starts to decrease in quality

 

語源

英辞郎によると、

【語源】アメリカのテレビドラマHappy Days（1974～1984年）に登場人物が水上スキーで「サメを飛び越える」場面があり、それ以降だんだん話がつまらなくなったという。

 

Etymology

According to Wiktionary:

From Hollywood (Part 3), an episode in 1977 during the fifth season of the American television series Happy Days, in which the character Fonzie jumped over a shark on waterskis. The expression argues that it was at this point that the show bore no similarity to its original form.

   

Examples

1. The show jumped the shark a few years ago.
2. Will Twitter soon jump the shark?
3. Jumping the shark is typically applied to TV shows which are losing their audience, or have run out of creativity.
4. I would define jumping the shark for classic rock as the point when a successful classic rock band, adapted a new, inferior sound in order to increase their audience, to jump on a new musical trend, or simply because they had run out of good song ideas.
5. 2003, Jon Hein, Jump the Shark, book overview (revised edition; Plume; →ISBN, 9780452284104)
   Happy Days infamously jumped the shark when Fonzie literally jumped a shark on water skis. I Love Lucy jumped the shark when Lucy and Ricky moved to the suburbs. The Brady Bunch jumped the shark when Cousin Oliver moved in.

   

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Question of the Day #1391

Nvidia's 'meh' moment

From the headline of this article at Reuters.

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

 

---

 

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

1. 【形】
   〈俗〉別に大したことはない、期待ほどではない、凡庸な
2. 【間投】
   〈俗〉まあ（いいか）、別に◆無関心・投げやり。

   

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

1. not impressive: SO-SO
2. APATHETIC, INDIFFERENT

 

Examples

1. We thought it would sell, but customers are saying “Meh!”
2. My lashes are just kind of meh — dark, but short and straight, with sparse/light bottom lashes. — Karina Hoshikawa, refinery29.com, 18 June 2021
3. My feeling about meh food is that the number one culprit is usually underseasoning. — Molly Baz, Bon Appétit, 20 Apr. 2021
4. In a new interview, the comic — who recently announced the end of his popular and long-lived podcast “WTF” — criticized the current podcast landscape as awash in meh. - From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 13, 2025
5. “It’s a long life to spend doing something you’re only meh about,” I insist. - From "The Sun Is Also a Star" by Nicola Yoon

   

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Question of the Day #1390

Comms etymology: What’s the scuttlebutt? The origins of words heard around the office

From the headline of this article at Ragan.com.

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

 

---

   

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

1. 飲料水用のたる◆不可算
2. 〈米話〉うわさ、ゴシップ

   

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

1. 1. a cask on shipboard to contain fresh water for a day's use
   2. a drinking fountain on a ship or at a naval or marine installation
2. RUMOR, GOSSIP

 

Examples

1. Besides, he has no proof that the allegations are true; Washington is full of scuttlebutt.
2. And both the scuttlebutt and spoilers could conceivably conspire to hurt the bottom line. — Chris Lee, Vulture, 2 Apr. 2026
3. For all the scuttlebutt about the Big 12’s new LED glass court, reviews have mostly been positive from players and coaches. — Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 11 Mar. 2026
4. I’ve heard scuttlebutt from the donor community, some of whom are reportedly miffed to have their microscopically printed names out of circulation. - From Washington Post • Jul. 23, 2022
5. Just as the scuttlebutt had it, we men of the First Marine Amphibious Corps were heading for the Solomons to force a landing on Bougainville. - From "Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two" by Joseph Bruchac

   

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Question of the Day #1389

‘A leopard can’t change its spots’ – Norton says as he rehashes APNU’s promises at Bagotsville

From the headline of this article at the NewsRoom.gy.

  上記の文で、a leopard can’t change its spotsの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "a leopard can’t change its spots" 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。
I will add the answer and other remarks here tomorrow.

 

---

   

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

ヒョウは自分で斑点を変えられない。／ヒョウは、いつまでたってもヒョウ柄のまま。／持って生まれた性質は直らない。／性格を変えることはできない。／三つ子の魂百まで。

   

Answer

According to :

used to say that people cannot change their basic personalities, habits, etc.

 

Examples

1. After our breakup, he came crawling back, trying to convince me that he'd changed, but I know that a leopard can't change its spots.
2. You're never going to convince Tom about this—he's too stubborn, and a leopard can't change its spots.
3. A: "Come on, a leopard can't change its spots." B: "I thought so too, but the former president really seems to have changed his views on social welfare since leaving office."
4. He's a conservative, no matter what he says; the leopard cannot change its spots.
5. “I don’t believe he has really gone legit. A leopard doesn’t change its spots.”

   

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Question of the Day #1388

'It's still in shambles': Can Boeing come back from crisis?

From the headline of this article at the BBC.

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

 

---

   

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

めちゃくちゃで、最悪で

In a shamblesと言うこともあります。

 

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

Completely destroyed or wrecked.

 

Examples

1. Many years of neglect have left the house in shambles.
2. After the earthquake, the town lay in shambles.
3. Our economy is in shambles.
4. Under US pressure, she is grappling with leading a country saddled with the world's largest proven oil reserves but an economy in shambles. From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026
5. Experts say these policy shifts have broken a student loan system that was already in shambles, leaving nearly 45 million borrowers, disproportionately women, in financial and emotional distress. From Salon • Mar. 17, 2026

   

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Question of the Day #1387

Why do female leaders keep getting thrown off the 'glass cliff'?

From the headline of this article at The Standard.

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

 

---

   

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

ガラスの断崖◆失敗の恐れが非常に高い地位。特に、業績の悪い時にglass ceilingを突き破って昇進し、難しい仕事をさせられている女性の地位。

もともと女性対象の言葉で今でも女性の場合が多いけれども、マイノリティーや男性でも対象になることがあります。

 

Answer

According to the Cambridge Dictionary:

a situation in which you are only given a high position in an organization when there are difficult conditions which make you likely to fail

   

Examples

1. Women were often left teetering on a glass cliff after being handed impossible jobs.
2. This lack of support for women and minorities is central to the glass cliff phenomenon.
3. Beware the glass cliff - you'll get a lofty promotion, but failure will be guaranteed.
4. This dynamic, where a talented female leader inherits a collapsing situation, is so common in the business world that experts have a name for it: The glass cliff. From Salon • Sep. 26, 2025
5. The glass cliff theory holds up in business as well as politics, and, according to a 2011 Harvard Business Review report, “does not seem to apply to organizations with a history of female leaders.” From Seattle Times • May 15, 2023

   

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Question of the Day #1386

International Studies Fulbright Awardee Ginger Trask Getting the Lay of the Land in Samoa

From the headline of this article at Johns Hopkins University.

  上記の文で、lay of the landの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "lay of the land" 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.

 

---

   

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

地勢、状況、形勢

下記英語の定義にあるように、しばしば比喩的に使用されます。問題の見出しの場合では、対象がサモアなので「地勢」の可能性もありますが「状況」に間違い無いと思います。

 

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

the arrangement of the different parts in an area of land: where things are located in a place
-> often used figuratively

 

Examples

1. She knew the lay of the land from hiking through it daily.
2. It takes time for new employees to get the lay of the land in this department.
3. It’s been happening on a larger scale as well: since launching in 2023, AMC Theatres Distribution has turned to domestic distribution experts Variance Films to get the lay of the land. — Gregg Goldstein, Variety, 10 Nov. 2025
4. So investors may have been waiting to evaluate the lay of the land. From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026
5. "I love turning on terrestrial television in any country that I'm in. It really gives you the lay of the land." From Salon • Jan. 15, 2025

   

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Question of the Day #1385

This just in: And that’s the way the cookie crumbles

From the headline of this article at the Clarion Herald.

  上記の文で、that’s the way the cookie crumblesの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "that’s the way the cookie crumbles” 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.

 

---

   

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

〈話〉人生［世の中］、そんなもんさ。／そんなもんだよ、世の中なんて。／それが人世というものさ。／うまくいかないときはそんなもんさ。◆【直訳】クッキーは割れるものだ。◆何かを運命のせいにするときの決まり文句◆【同】That's the way things happen.

That’s how the cookie crumblesとも言います。

 

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

used when something bad has happened to say that someone must accept things the way they are

 

Examples

1. I'm disappointed that I didn't get the job but that's the way the cookie crumbles.
2. High school senior: "I wasn't accepted into my top choice university."
   Father: "Sometimes that's just the way the cookie crumbles."
3. Boy: "My girlfriend and I finally broke up. We had been arguing for weeks."
   Friend: "That's the way the cookie crumbles."
4. I had some bad luck with injuries — that's how the cookie crumbles.
5. The man knows that that’s the way the cookie crumbles and he will be fine.

   

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Question of the Day #1384

Trump toots his own horn, but no deal was reached with Putin

From the headline of this article at Euro Weekly News.

  上記の文で、toot one’s own hornの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "toot one’s own horn" 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.

 

---

   

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

〈比喩〉〔得意のラッパを鳴らすように〕自慢する

Blow one’s own hornも同じ意味です。

 

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

to talk about oneself or one's achievements especially in a way that shows pride or too much pride

 

Examples

1. We've had a very successful year, and I think we have a right to toot our own horn a little.
2. I can't stand being around Marcus ever since his company became such a massive success. The guy just can't stop tooting his own horn!
3. My father told me never to toot my own horn.
4. Not to toot my own horn, but I already knew all that.
5. Because I didn’t toot my own horn, my particular contribution to the success of the organization was seen as a luxury. (Forbes Magazine)

   

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Question of the Day #1383

UCLA hold off Texas in slugfest to set up title game matchup with South Carolina

From the headline of this article at The Guardian.

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

 

---

   

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

【名】

1. 〈主に米話〉《野球》乱打戦、打撃戦◆可算
2. 〈主に米話〉《ボクシング》激しい殴り合いの試合
3. 〈主に米話〉〔怒り狂った〕激論

問題の見出しでわかると思いますが、今ではslugfestは野球やボクシングに限らず、あらゆるスポーツの激しい試合に使用するようになっています。また、スポーツに限らず、あらゆる激しい競い合いに使用することもできます。

 

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

a fight marked by the exchange of heavy blows
also: a heated dispute

 

Examples

1. The fight was a hard, horrible 12-round slugfest.
2. The race in Oklahoma for the US Senate has escalated into a slugfest in recent weeks.
3. This all leads, of course, to the slugfest promised by the film’s title. — EW.com, 8 May 2025
4. If the third quarter was a slugfest, the fourth quarter was a shootout. — Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 7 Sep. 2019
5. The match was more of a tactical affair than a slugfest. — Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Nov. 2022

   

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Question of the Day #1382

A Brawl On Southwest Airlines Jet Ended With Dogpile On Flight Attendant

From the headline of this article at NDTV World.

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

1. 〈俗〉〔ターゲットの人（被害者）に対して〕集団で飛び掛かって組み伏せる［馬乗りになる］行為
2. 〈俗〉集団でのいじめ、寄ってたかって嫌がらせをすること

【自動・他動】

1. 〈俗〉〔多くの人々が人に〕飛び掛かって組み伏せる、集団で馬乗りになる
2. 〈俗〉〔人を〕大勢で攻撃する、〔人に〕多くの反論を浴びせる◆インターネットの文脈では、集団によるいじめ・嫌がらせ。例えば、ある人の発言に対して「それは間違っている」「ばかなことを言うな」といった大量のコメントを付けること。理性的な批判・建設的な討論ではなく「荒らし」に近い。

問題の見出しの場合は、名詞の1番の訳になります。
上記の訳ではネガティブな意味のようにとれますが、スポーツの試合の勝利の時に選手同士が喜んでお互いに飛び掛かる様子にもこの単語を使用します。

 

Answer

According to :

Noun

1. a mass of people who have piled on top of one another (as in celebrating a sports victory or while fighting)
   lso: the act or an instance of forming a dogpile
2. a barrage of criticism, insults, etc. directed at someone or something by many people

Verb

1. transitive + intransitive: to form a dogpile around someone especially as part of a fight or celebration
2. transitive + intransitive of a group of people: to direct a barrage of criticism, insults, etc. at (someone or something)

 

Examples

1. That was the night that ended in a dogpile around Murray, who drilled a game-winning buzzer beater over Anthony Davis. — Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 1 Feb. 2026
2. His game-winning double led to a huge celebratory dogpile.
3. The kids all jumped on their dad, who was soon practically invisible under a dogpile of shrieking, wriggling bodies.
4. The Beckman dogpile after winning the Division 3 title. From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2024
5. Summer is gone, and the fall has brought a historic dogpile of action. — Jason Gay, WSJ, 8 Oct. 2020

   

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Question of the Day #1381

DOG DAY AFTERNOON: MORE PUNCHLINES THAN PERIL

From the headline of this article at the New York Stage Review.

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

 

---

   

解答

意味：
別つづりの英辞郎の訳は、、

〔ジョークの〕落ち

ちなみに、「〔ジョークの〕」とありますが、下記英語の定義ではあらゆる文の主張・論点・核心の部分です。

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

the sentence, statement, or phrase (as in a joke) that makes the point

 

Examples

1. To the baseball world, and even to many of their own frustrated fans, the Angels have become a punch line. —Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 23 Mar. 2026
2. Catch her mix of bold punch lines and relatable humor in a weekend of 18-and-up shows. —Travis Pinson, Dallas Morning News, 6 Mar. 2026
3. She didn't understand the punch line.
4. He forgot the punchline and the joke fell flat.
5. Professor Ito blinks, shakes his head, then translates my punchline.

   

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Question of the Day #1380

Maine needs an experienced leader who has paid their dues

From the headline of this article at CentralMaine.com.

  上記の文で、pay one’s duesの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "pay one’s dues" 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. 〈俗〉〔苦労して〕権利［地位］を得る［獲得する］
2. 〈俗〉〔過失などの〕報いを受ける
3. 〈俗〉刑期を務める
4. 会費を払う

4番目の訳が、直訳になります。したがって、その訳から他の意味が派生したと思っていいでしょう。
なお、問題の見出しの訳は、「下積みをつんだ」がいいのではないかと思います。

 

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

1. Literally, to pay the requisite fees to enter into or remain in an organization.
2. By extension, to work hard, gain the necessary skills or experience, or suffer hardships (in order to earn a position, set of rights, the respect of others, etc.).
3. To serve the sentence given to one upon conviction of a crime.

 

Examples

1. I paid my dues working in the warehouse for 10 years before I got this job in the head office.
2. She'd paid her dues in small-town shows before she finally got a Broadway part.
3. He's paid his dues and deserves a promotion.
4. 2005 August 7, Jeff Leeds, “A Money Scandal That's Rocking Hip-Hop”, in New York Times‎[1], retrieved 17 July 2013:
   [S]he spent some time paying her dues at entry-level jobs.
5. 2005 November 6, Donald Morrison, “Still Enough Wrongs To Write”, in Time‎[2], archived from the original on 30 June 2013:
   He too championed the anti-apartheid cause, paid his dues, had his works banned.

   

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Question of the Day #1379

The Big Tech Regulation Rigamarole

From the headline of this article at Tech News World.

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

 

---

   

解答

意味：
英辞郎では、別の綴りのrigmaroleで掲載されています。

1. 訳の分からない［役に立たない・長過ぎる］話［説明］
2. 無駄な［無意味な・煩わしい・うんざりする］手続き

なお、下記英語の定義では、一つ目の意味は今ではあまり使用されていません。

 

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

1. something (such as a procedure or an explanation) that is long, complicated, and tedious
2. dated: confused or meaningless talk

 

Examples

1. Why the hold-up? There's still a whole bunch of legal rigamarole to work out … — Tristan Hopper
2. We know now … the real reason McDonald's ice cream machines always seem to be broken is because they're not—they just take four hours and an 11-step process to clean. This rigmarole is often what's actually preventing McDonald's employees from serving up your hot fudge sundae. — Megan Scott
3. Passengers departing from here do not have to go through the same security rigmarole as they do in major airports. From Washington Post
4. "I was a journalist for 20 years and I can spot marketing rigmarole and a contrived script. You have to be your crude, authentic self to attract your audience." From BBC
5. The entire rigmarole, I realised, was just a charade.

   

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Question of the Day #1378

Majority of Canadians would pay under the table cash to avoid sales tax: survey

From the headline of this article at Global News.

  上記の文で、pay under the tableの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "pay under the table" 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.

 

---

   

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

（人）に賄賂［袖の下］を払う［与える］

Pay under the tableは「非合法的」なお金の渡し方に間違いありませんが、「賄賂」と限りません。どちらかというと「裏金」の方が適訳です。例えば、問題の見出しの場合は、「統計によると、カナダ人の大多数は、売上税を回避するために裏金で現金払いを好む」になります。

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

To give a worker payment that is not officially documented and has not been taxed.

 

Examples

1. Because the restaurant pays me under the table, no taxes come out of my paycheck.
2. I don't have a visa to work in this country, so I've been nannying for a family who pays me under the table.
3. How should an employer respond to an employee that wants to be paid under the table?
4. However, he asked if he could get paid under the table to save us both a bit of $$.
5. Is being paid under the table a good thing or a bad thing?

   

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Question of the Day #1377

Hold fast: How a nautical phrase inspired the motto of our times

From the headline of this article at CBC.com.

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

 

---

   

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

【句動】

1. 〔～に〕しがみつく
2. 〔～を〕固守する
3. 〔～を〕堅持する
4. 〔色が〕あせない

   

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

1. To remain securely adhered (to something).
2. To remain determined, stalwart, and unyielding, as in one's position or opinion.

 

Examples

1. He held fast to his principles.
2. No, tape won't hold fast in this case—you need to use a stronger adhesive.
3. Though it may be hard, we must hold fast in our pledge to environmental reform.
4. I've held fast to my principles my whole life, and I don't intend to compromise them now with your gang of thugs!
5. ”The strikers held fast at Hicks’s mines, but world events intervened.”
Fannie Never Flinched by Mary Cronk Farrell

   

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Question of the Day #1376

Team USA’s militarism is a big bummer in an otherwise incredible WBC tournament

From the headline of this article at Royals Review.

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

 

---

   

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

1. 〈話〉嫌な［がっかりする］こと［出来事・体験］、不愉快なこと［出来事・体験・状態・時間］、残念なこと、失望、失敗（作）、駄作
2. 〈米話〉怠け者

   

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

1.              
   1. an unpleasant experience
   2. something that is unpleasant or disappointing
2. FAILURE, FLOP

 

Examples

1. All this goodwill and success are a huge bummer for Jessi’s current husband, Jordan. — Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2026
2. People thought the script was a bummer. — Brent Lang, Variety, 11 Mar. 2026
3. Still, the creators and the cast didn’t want the revival to feel like a bummer. — Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2023
4. "I've left my wallet at home." "What a bummer!"
5. Are we to believe that one of pop’s bright new stars was once … kind of a bummer? From Los Angeles Times

   

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Question of the Day #1375

With a finish in the top three of an event required to punch one's ticket to the Tokyo Olympics, some Hokies will look to either take a well-deserved rest this summer or continue training at the professional level.

From the 5th paragraph of this article at HokieSports.com.

  上記の文で、punch one’s ticketの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "punch one’s ticket" 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：
Punch one’s ticketの和訳は、ほとんどありませんがえいご1日1語にありました。推測で説明しているので、途中までそれなりですが、問題文の意味まで辿り着いていません。
そこで、下記のThe Free Dictionaryの定義を訳すと、

1. 文字どおりの意味は、特にバスや汽車に乗車する時、運賃を払っていることを証明するために切符に改札鋏等で切ってもらうこと。
2. 1番の定義の延長の意味として、（とくに競技等において）前進するために何らかのアクションを起こすこと。

問題文の場合は、この2番の訳が適切です。

 

Answer

  According to The Free Dictionary:

1. Literally, to punch a hole in or otherwise mark one's ticket, especially for a bus or train, to show they have paid the fare to ride.
2. By extension, to perform an action that allows one to proceed, especially in a competition.

 

Examples

1. With a win tonight, they will punch their ticket to the tournament.
2. If this deal goes through, you'll have punched your ticket to the corner office.
3. She has punched her ticket to her second Olympics Games.
4. You have punched your ticket to the final round with this win.
5. In scoring 13 points, they punched their ticket to the Super Bowl in Jacksonville.

   

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Question of the Day #1374

$48M ‘boondoggle’ set to be killed by N.J. gov. ‘Not good enough,’ she says.

From the headline of this article at NJ.com.

  上記の文で、boondoggleの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "boondoggle" 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・自動】
〈米話〉〔多大な労力・時間・金を費やす〕無駄［無意味］な仕事［活動・計画・公共事業］（を行う）

ただし、上記の訳に下記英語にある大事な部分が含まれていません。それは、often involving graftつまり「しばしば収賄を伴う」の部分です。

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

a wasteful or impractical project or activity often involving graft

 

Examples

1. Is high-speed rail a valuable addition to infrastructure, or a boondoggle?
2. Republicans called the plan a boondoggle and a drain on federal highway funds.
3. The senator called the new highways proposal "a fraud and a boondoggle that the taxpayer should not tolerate."
4. Why: In a state known for its outlandish mansions, this is the boondoggle that set the standard. — Christopher Reynolds, latimes.com, 21 May 2017
5. The judges were not somebody’s nephew on a boondoggle but were, for the most part, their countries’ best legal minds. — Foreign Affairs, 20 Oct. 2023

   

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Question of the Day #1373

COLUMN: People going bananas for baby macaque online

From the headline of this article at OrilliaMatters.

  上記の文で、go bananasの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "go bananas" 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. 〈俗〉頭がおかしくなる、気が狂う◆【語源】バナナを目の前に出されたサルが騒ぐ様子から◆【参考】go ape
2. 〈俗〉熱狂する、怒り狂う
3. 〈俗〉〔機械などが〕駄目になる、いかれる

   

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

1. To become irrational or crazy.
2. To express great excitement about something in an exuberant manner.

 

Examples

1. I'll end up going bananas if I have to work in this cubicle for one more day!
2. The kids are going to go bananas when we tell them about the trip.
3. Confession: I don’t always go bananas for depictions of food in art, but April brings a smattering of excellent and tasty shows. From Seattle Times
4. “Yet it’s not cluttered up; it’s streamlined and simple. Whatever we did was going to be seen in that opening shot of the train going through Asteroid City, so we couldn’t go bananas and let any part of it get too big and out of control.” From Los Angeles Times
5. Students are going bananas over the lack of options available in the cafeteria for lunch.

   

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Question of the Day #1372

Scoot and shoot the breeze for charity

From the headline of this article at defense.gov.au.

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

 

---

 

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

〈米話〉おしゃべりする、無駄話をする、油を売る◆【直訳】口から風を吹く

   

Answer

According to Dictionary.com:

Talk idly, chat

 

語源

Wiktionaryによると、

1919年に初めて記録されたスラングで、風に向かって話すことを意味する。

 

Etymology

According to Wiktionary:

A slang phrase, alluding to talking into the wind, it was first recorded in 1919.

   

Examples

1. They've been sitting on the porch for hours, just shooting the breeze.
2. We were just standing around shooting the breeze.
3. 1999, The Ninth Gate (motion picture), spoken by Dean Corso (Johnny Depp):
   Listen, I came here to do some business, not shoot the breeze. If you want to expound your personal philosophies, write another book.
4. Catch him after practice and he’s happy to shoot the breeze with a smile on his face. From Seattle Times
5. “It felt like they were just shooting the breeze,” recalled Robinson Chavez, whose aching black-and-white photos anchored the series. From Los Angeles Times

   

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