Question of the Day #998

Chlöe Swarbrick: New Zealand needs Govt’s bread and butter Budget to be bold, not beige

From the headline of this article at the NZ Herald.

  上記の文で、bread and butterの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "bread and butter" 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. バター付きパン、基本的な食べ物、毎日の生活に必須のもの、飯の種、生計の手段、生活のための仕事、生活の糧、生活基盤に関わるもの、主要な収入源、本業
2. 《テレビ》娯楽本位の帯番組
3. 糊口、屋台骨

[形] (bread-and-butterと書くこともあります)

1. 〔仕事などが〕生計を支える（ための）、生活していくための
2. 基本的な要求を満たす、基礎的な問題に関する
3. 日用の、平凡な
4. もてなしに対して感謝の気持ちを表した

 

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

Adjective

1. 1. being as basic as the earning of one's livelihood
   1. RELIABLE
   2. dependable as a source of income
2. sent or given as thanks for hospitality

Noun

• a means of sustenance or livelihood

   

Examples

• These are hardly the bread-and-butter concerns of struggling farmers.
• the agency's bread-and-butter account
• The opposition gained support by concentrating on bread-and-butter matters.
• Indeed, in a country with rampant poverty, inequality, and hunger, the average voter’s choices are driven more by bread-and-butter issues than abstract issues of democracy. —Omkar Poojari, The Christian Science Monitor, 2 Aug. 2023
• The amendments that were added to the defense authorization bill, however, highlight the degree to which cultural and social flash points have become the bread-and-butter issues for a significant part of the Republican base. —Dan Balz, Anchorage Daily News, 16 July 2023

   

このサイトが役に立つと思ったら、ぜひ英語に関心のある知り合いとシェアしてください。

Question of the Day #997

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

From the headline of this article at .

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

  答えは、コメントに書いてください。
Write your answer in the Comments.

明日、ここに答えを書きます。
I will add the answer and other remarks here tomorrow.

 

---

   

解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、

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

Cockamamyと綴ることもあります。
 

Answer

According to Dictionary.com:

ridiculous, pointless, or nonsensical:

 

語源

英辞郎によると、

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

 

Etymology

According to ,

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

 

Examples

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

   

このサイトが役に立つと思ったら、ぜひ英語に関心のある知り合いとシェアしてください。

Question of the Day #996

Costco’s New Sandwich Costs Too Much Bread for Too Much Bread

From the headline of this article at The Takeout.

  上記の文で、breadの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "bread" 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・古〉＝money

<古>となっていますが、今でも使用されます。
   

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

slang: MONEY

 

Examples

• "I hate doing this, but I need the bread."
• I took the job because I needed to earn some bread.
• a period in which you could earn your bread by the sweat of your brow
• He's bringin in the bread yo.
• Yo, I'm low on bread foo!

   

このサイトが役に立つと思ったら、ぜひ英語に関心のある知り合いとシェアしてください。

Question of the Day #995

‘Matilda the Musical’ review: Netflix does halfway decent Dahl

From the headline of this article at the New York Post.

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

《be ～》〔物事・人物などが〕それなりにちゃんとしている、そう悪くもない、一応まともだ

   

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

Somewhat good, useful, or enjoyable, but not very; passable.

 

Examples

• Anyone with a halfway decent phone can access the Internet these days!
• John: "So, what did you think of the film?" Bill: "Eh, it was halfway decent, I guess."
• In Arnold, Schwarzenegger finally offers a halfway decent apology for his actions. —Marlow Stern, Rolling Stone, 5 June 2023
• In hard-to-fill roles, such as workers in restaurants, warehouses, fulfillment centers, hotels and other front-line jobs, managers were open to hiring anyone halfway decent. —Jack Kelly, Forbes, 4 Aug. 2022
• And, yes, quarantine room service will offer a halfway decent vegan spread. —Matt Sullivan, Rolling Stone, 29 Jan. 2022

   

このサイトが役に立つと思ったら、ぜひ英語に関心のある知り合いとシェアしてください。

Question of the Day #994

The British really have a knack for names: carts are called trolleys, cookies are biscuits, and instead of a bachelor party (a party thrown in celebration of the man about to get married), they call it a stag party.

From the 2nd paragraph of this article at Brides.com.

  上記の文で、have a knack forの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "have a knack for" 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、

～のこつを知っている、～の才がある

この場合の才能というのは、どちらかというと生まれつきのものを言うことが多い。
 

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

To be exceptionally proficient at (doing) something.

   

Examples

• Jenny's got a real knack for the piano.
• I don't know what it is, but David just has a knack for getting under my skin.
• a knack for remembering faces
• Some people seem to have a knack for making money.
• He seems to have a knack for getting people to agree with him.

   

このサイトが役に立つと思ったら、ぜひ英語に関心のある知り合いとシェアしてください。

Question of the Day #993

This vision of food's future could have legs – but rather more than you might like.

From the headline of this article at National Geographic.

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

永続性がある

下記英語の定義になるように、主に考え・意見・現象・流行等に対して使用されます。
 

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

To have the ability to endure, stay relevant, or continue to maintain interest. Said of a concept, phenomenon, something discussed, etc.

 

Examples

• That theory really has legs—years later, most people still think that the wrong man was convicted.
• This latest scandal has legs - you'll probably still be reading about it in a year's time.
• The business has legs.
• Mr Blucher was confident that his concept had legs, so he persisted and pressed Mr Cooper for a meeting.
• We’ll soon see if the movie has legs.

   

このサイトが役に立つと思ったら、ぜひ英語に関心のある知り合いとシェアしてください。

Question of the Day #992

What is a chief growth officer? Beats me

From the headline of this article at ZD Net.

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

 

---

 

解答

意味：
Yahoo! ニュースのこの記事によると、

「Beats me.」は「I don't know.（わからない、知らない）」という意味になります。

と言うことになっていますが、下記英語の定義にあるようにbaffles me(〔人を〕途方に暮れさせる、困惑させる、まごつかせる)やpuzzles me(〔難問を突き付けて人を〕当惑させる、まごつかせる)と同じ意味なので、個人的には「全くわからない」「見当がつかない」のほうがいいと思います。  

Answer

According to Dictionary.com:

This baffles or puzzles me

 

Examples

• I don't know how he does it—beats me!
• How do you measure such a thing? Beats me.
• Though why he wants to call himself a doctor beats me.
• A: "How long has this milk been in the fridge?" B: "Beats me. Check the expiration date."
• It beats me—I have no idea how to get to the mall from here.

 

このサイトが役に立つと思ったら、ぜひ英語に関心のある知り合いとシェアしてください。