Question of the Day #1350

A Sliding Doors moment for the NHS?

From the headline of this article at the BBC News.

  上記の文で、sliding doors momentの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "sliding doors moment" 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：
英語のサイトでも定義が少ないこの語句を扱っている日本語のサイトは調べたところ皆無なので、下記Mediumの記事によると、

Sliding doors momentとは、人生における分岐点での選択がその後の人生を大きく左右すること。

実は、この定義ではちょっと舌足らずで、「人生における些細なできごとでその後の人生が大きく左右されること」くらいの方が正確だと思います。（理由を下記「語源」の項で説明します。）
ちなみに、英語でsliding doorsは引き戸、障子、襖のことですが、この場合は電車の扉のことです。

 

Answer

According to this article at Medium:

A Sliding Doors Moment; a junction in life where choices lead to divergent paths.

 

語源

同Mediumの記事によると、

この言葉は、Gwyneth Paltrowの1998年の映画Sliding Doors/邦題「スライディング・ドア」に由来し、主人公のHelenの人生の分岐点を指しています。
電車の扉(sliding doors)が閉まったために乗り損ねて、浮気をしている婚約者を発見しないのか？
それとも、その電車に乗車することができて、婚約者の浮気現場に遭遇するのか？

 

Etymology

According to the same article at Medium:

It is a term forever cast into our vocabulary after Gwyneth Paltrow’s 98' film [Sliding Doors], we see Helen (Paltrow) reach a moment in time where her paths diverge.
Does she miss the train and miss her cheating fiance?
Or does she get on that early train and catch him in the act?

   

Examples

1. So I guess essentially, a sliding doors moment basically is a moment in your life which you don't realize at the time is going to change the trajectory of your life forever going forward.
2. What is your sliding doors moment THIS YEAR?
3. Meeting her was a sliding doors moment that changed his life forever.
4. Choosing that job was a sliding doors moment in his career.
5. Princess Diana's last minute decision to make a trip to Paris was a defined sliding door decision

   

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Question of the Day #1349

Embarrassing floor meltdown has House Republicans questioning their leaders

From the headline of this article at Politico.

  上記の文で、meltdownの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "meltdown" 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. 〔原子炉の〕炉心溶融、メルトダウン
2. 〔金属の〕溶融
3. 〔株式市場の〕暴落
4. 〔金融・経済などの〕破綻
5. 〔法廷の判断による〕最終的な処分

注意：この英辞郎の訳の中に、下記英語の定義3の訳がありません。それは、「（疲労や過剰な刺激による）自己制御[統制]の破綻」になります。
なお、問題の見出しの場合は4番の「破綻」が敵訳だと思います。

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

1. the accidental melting of the core of a nuclear reactor
2. a rapid or disastrous decline or collapse
3. a breakdown of self-control (as from fatigue or overstimulation)

 

Examples

1. After a long day at the beach, our toddler had a major meltdown in the car on the way home.
2. Saxon is the only one who has a meltdown about the phones. — Erik Kain, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
3. The next ransomware meltdown or worse could be one bug away. — Lily Hay Newman, Wired, 8 July 2021
4. Ecological meltdown in predator-free forest fragments.
5. In 2008, when the mortgage meltdown threatened the U.S. housing market, the Treasury agreed to support the two companies in exchange for senior preferred stock purchase agreements. From Barron's

   

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Question of the Day #1348

Damned if you Do and Damned if you Don’t

From the headline of this article at The Therapeutic Care Journal.

  上記の文で、damned if you do and damned if you don'tの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "damned if you do and damned if you don't" 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、

そうすれば困ったことになるし、そうしなくても困ったことになる。／あちらを立てればこちらが立たず。／行くも地獄、帰るも地獄。◆【場面】二つの選択肢のうち、どちらをとっても悪い結果になってしまう。

Damned if you do, damned if you don'tと言う・書くこともあります。

 

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

informal
—> used to say that in a specific situation a person can be blamed or considered wrong no matter what he or she does

 

Examples

1. Well, this is one of these things where you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t.
2. You can and you can’t, you shall and you shan’t; you’ll be damned if you do, and you’ll be damned if you don’t.
3. The school is in one of those "damned if you do and damned if you don't" positions. If they ban junk food in the canteen, the kids will say their rights are being infringed upon, and if they don't ban it, others will say they're damaging the kids' health.
4. If I keep playing music in the same style, some people say I'm repeating myself, but if I change to a new style, other people say I'm just following fashion. I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't!
5. So your boss will be mad if you miss the work event, and your husband will be disappointed if you skip your anniversary dinner. Damned if you do, damned if you don't!

   

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Question of the Day #1347

Buffalo named a city of “Sneaky Good Food “by CNN Travel

From the headline of this article at WIVB.com.

  上記の文で、sneaky goodの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "sneaky good" 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：
英辞郎や他の日本語のサイトにこの熟語の訳が見当らないので、下記英語のUrban Dictionaryの訳を掲載します。

[とくに、その良さがあまり知られていない時に]優れている。インチキではないかと思うぐらいに良い。

一般的に、sneakyは「〔人に内緒で（不正な方法で）〕コソコソする、卑劣な」のいみですが、近年ではこのsneaky goodやsneaky athletic（「見かけよりも運動神経がいい」）のようにいい意味で使用されるようになっています。

 

Answer

According to the Urban Dictionary:

Excellent, especially when underrated. Good enough to give the impression of cheating.

 

Examples

1. I thought that goofy-looking guy couldn't play, but he's sneaky good.
2. Bill didn't have a copy of the exam. He's a sneaky good student.
3. The sneaky good part of OSU’s defense is its play up front against the run. —
oregonlive, 25 Nov. 2022
4. This would be a sneaky good pick for a shaky Ravens offense. — Gentry Estes, The Courier-Journal, 5 Feb. 2018
5. Sneaky-good performances that mattered in Week 8

   

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Question of the Day #1346

'Kowtow to communist China or expect anger and punishments'

From the headline of this article at Skynews.com.au.

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

【自動】

1. 叩頭［叩首］する
2. こびへつらう、卑屈に振る舞う

【名】

1. 叩頭、叩首◆膝をつき、額を地面に付けるおじぎ。深い尊敬や従属の意を表す、かつて中国で行われていたおじぎの仕方。
2. こびへつらい、卑屈な態度

   

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

intransitive verb

1. to show obsequious deference : FAWN
2. to kneel and touch the forehead to the ground in token of homage, worship, or deep respect

noun

1. an act of kowtowing

 

語源

英辞郎によると、

【語源】中国語のkou（叩）tou（頭）から。

 

Etymology

According to the Online Etymology Dictionary:

also kow-tow, 1804, from Chinese k'o-t'ou, custom of touching the ground with the forehead while kneeling as a gesture of respect or submission, literally "knock the head," from k'o "knock, bump" + t'ou "head."

   

Examples

1. The Trump administration is being urged to go on offense and make sure the next United Nations chief is aligned with U.S. and Western values and doesn't kowtow to what critics say is an increasingly anti-American institution. — Beth Bailey, FOXNews.com, 5 Dec. 2025
2. Two years ago, she got fired from her $196,551 hack sinecure at the Cannabis Control Commission for not sufficiently kowtowing to the woke mob. — Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 22 Nov. 2025
3. Many figures in the media world viewed the settlement as a kowtow to the president as Paramount seeks FCC approval for its $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media. — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 24 July 2025
4. To cover up his kowtow, the president crowed that Russia and Ukraine would now begin negotiations for a ceasefire. — Trudy Rubin, Twin Cities, 23 May 2025
5. Maybe there’s a lesson here in not kowtowing to the diehards in advance. — Vulture, 25 Aug. 2023

   

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Question of the Day #1345

Tilting At Windmills: The Apple Of My Eye

From the headline of this article at The Evening Sun.

  上記の文で、apple of one's eyeの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "apple of one's eye" mean?

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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. 《the ～》瞳
2. 《the apple of someone's eye》（人）にとって非常にいとしいもの、（人）の自慢の種◆【語源】apple of the eye（瞳）⇒ 「大切な物」。

   

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

one that is highly cherished

 

Examples

1. His new baby girl was the apple of his eye.
2. Tom is the apple of Mary's eye. She thinks he's the greatest.
3. John's new car is the apple of his eye.
4. Dr. Peterson said parents should keep in mind that “what supports healthy growth of the child and capacity to love themselves is parental idealization, that this child is perfect, and the apple of one’s eye.” From New York Times
5. It is necessary to be constantly vigilant, to protect, as the apple of one's eye, the armed forces and defensive power of our country. From Time Magazine Archive

   

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Question of the Day #1344

Michigan's online-only districts catch flak for holding 'virtual snow day'

From the headline of this article at The Detroit News.

  上記の文で、flakの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "flak" 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. 対空砲火◆【語源】ドイツ語flieger（飛行機）+ abwehr（防衛）+ kanone（大砲）
2. 〈話〉〔次々に繰り出される〕激しい批判［非難］、ののしり、反対意見

問題の見出しの訳は当然2番ですが、この意味は1番の定義に基づいています。
用法は、catch flakやtake flakが一般的です。
また、flackとスペルすることがあります。  

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

1. antiaircraft guns
2. the bursting shells fired from flak
3. CRITICISM, OPPOSITION

 

Examples

1. He caught heavy flak for his decision to oppose the new school.
2. Such an unpopular decision is bound to draw a lot of flak from the press.
3. But if New York gets hit with a snowstorm early in his administration, the new mayor could quickly take flak if the streets aren’t plowed fast enough. From The Wall Street Journal
4. Apple has gotten some flak from critics on Wall Street who say the company hasn’t innovated enough in its smartphone business. From MarketWatch
5. He’s taken a lot of flak for this from right-wing members. — The Salt Lake Tribune, 20 Jan. 2022

   

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