Question of the Day #689

I’m struggling with depression (got diagnosed 18 months ago) and I still don’t have a handle on things.

From the 12th paragraph of this article at Eugene Weekly.

上記の文で、have a handle on ~の意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "have a handle on ~" 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、

～を把握［理解］する、～を操る、～を管理する

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

To have a firm, clear understanding or determination of something.

Examples

• I've got a handle on the situation.
• Well, I sure hope you have a good handle on the math.
• I can’t really get a handle on the situation here. What’s happening?
• I hope everyone has a handle on the material, as you'll be tested on it next week.
• I thought I had a pretty good handle on English idioms, but I don't understand this one at all!

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Question of the Day #688

Ever Wanted to Do a 1-Arm Push-Up? Here Are Expert Tips to Nail It

From the headline of this article at Popsugar.

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

〈話〉〔特定の行為・作業などを〕完璧［見事］にやってのける、〔主語のアクションなどが〕（完璧に）決まる

注：下記英語の定義の２番にあるように、人の失敗に対してユーモラスに使うことがしばしばあります。（最後の例文）

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

1. To succeed at something in a particularly impressive way.
2. To do something perfectly or accurately. This phrase is often used humorously to describe failures.

Examples

• It's immensely satisfying when you nail it. The Sun (2016)
• She missed it both times - she just could not nail it. The Sun (2010)
• Her presentation for the CEO went really well. She totally nailed it!
• I had all the kids guess how many jellybeans were in the jar, and Michael nailed it—exactly 251 jellybeans!
• When I showed my friend a picture of the cake I was trying to bake, alongside my sad excuse for a replica, she started laughing and said, "Nailed it!"

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Question of the Day #687

“That’s why I call this money pit the half-billion-dollar-boondoggle,” he continued.

From the headline of this article at The Reporter.

上記の文で、money pitの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "money pit" 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〉金食い虫

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

A business, possession, or other financial commitment that requires or consumes an increasingly large amount of money, especially more than was first anticipated.

Examples

• My house is such a money pit—I'm always paying for repairs on it!
• We don't want the project to become a money pit.
• Old houses can become money pits for their owners.
• The problem with buying used cars is that, even if they started off being cheap, they often turn into money pits as they start breaking down.
• I bought this restaurant because of its prime downtown location, but with all the repairs and the huge amount of staff needed to run it, it's proven to be quite a money pit.

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Question of the Day #686

Atmospheric CO2 levels have gone from 337 parts per million (ppm) to 420 ppm; the oceans are choked with acidification, the coral beds are dying, forests are burning, and the world’s politicians are burning jet fuel to twiddle their thumbs at these climate meetings.

From the 12th pargraph of this article at Greenpeace.

上記の文で、twiddle one's thumbsの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "twiddle one's thumbs" 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. 両手の指を組んで親指同士をくるくる回す
2. [暇なので]のんびりしている

実際に暇な時、１番目の訳の動作をする人もいるのですが、慣用句としては比喩として使われることがほとんどです。

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

To wait idly because one cannot take action or has nothing to do at the moment. Although the phrase refers to an actual movement of the hand (in which one's fingers are interlaced and each thumb is brought over the other in succession), the phrase is usually used figuratively.

Examples

• “Quite frankly, I was 28 years old when I worked on the Pill and the implication is always that I have twiddled my thumbs from age 28 to age 90.” (The Independent)
• Business was slack, and the salespeople were twiddling their thumbs
• ‘I have been sitting here for goodness knows how long twiddling my thumbs’
• What am I supposed to do while waiting for you? Sit here and twiddle my thumbs?
• I'm just twiddling my thumbs here in the ER, waiting for someone to give me an update on Claire's condition.

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Sports English #031

But it was his speed on the basepaths that provided the walk-off 8-7 victory over the Orioles.

このMLB.comの記事の第1段落より。

上記の文のbasepathsとwalk-off victoryの意味は、下記の通りです。

解説

basepathsは、

英辞郎によると、

球界生活、野球界、塁走

とあるが、英辞郎があげている例文（Joe DiMaggio roamed the basepaths for 13 years. : ジョー・ディマジオは13年間の球界生活を送った。）において「球界生活、野球界」は意訳としていいがあまり一般的ではない。
また、「塁走」って何？日本語にこんな言葉ある？ググっても出てきません。

一般的に、basepathは、「塁間（の走路）」のことを言います。塁の間は四つあるので、複数形のbasepathsになります。

walk-off victoryは、

英辞郎によると、

《野球》サヨナラ勝ち

walk-offは、形容詞として野球の「サヨナラ」として様々な形で用いられます。例えば、walk-off home run, walk-off hit, walk-off error等。

したがって、問題文の意訳は、

しかし、彼の塁間の走力がオリオールズ戦の8対7のサヨナラ勝利につながったのである。

になります。

Sports English #030

“I know it’s very important for me to go out there and eat up innings,” Darvish said. 

このMLB.comの記事の第16段落より。

上記の文のeat up inningsの意味は、下記の通りです。

解説

eat up inningsは、

多くの回数を投げる

したがって、問題文の意訳は、

「私の登板の時、多くの回数を投げることが大変大事だとわかってる」とダルビッシュ選手が言った。

になります。

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Question of the Day #685

While the EU has yet to formally respond, granting the request would provide breathing room for a longer-term solution — and avoid a trade war.

From the 1st paragraph of this article at Bloomberg.

上記の文で、breathing roomの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "breathing room" 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. 一息つける時間、ちょっと休憩できる時間、少し考える時間［猶予］
2. 快適に呼吸できる［身動きしやすい］十分なスペース［空間］

言うまでもなく、問題の意味は１番目の訳です。
breathing spaceということもあります。

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary :

1. Sufficient time to prepare for or recover from the pressing difficulties of a situation.
2. Sufficient space to fit or accomplish something.

Examples

• I wanted a little breathing room between jobs.
• The court's decision gave us some breathing room.
• My yearly bonus always affords us a little bit of breathing room for the Christmas expenses.
• Please move back and give us some breathing room here.
• The professor extended the deadline for our midterm papers, so I've got a bit of breathing room to get it finished.

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