Question of the Day #233

"EPA staff in ‘despair’ after Pruitt blame game"
From the headline of this article at Politico.

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

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解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、


責任のなすり合い

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

 a situation in which different individuals or groups attempt to assign blame to each other for some problem or failure

Etymology/語源

Merriam-Websterによると、

記録にある限り初めて使用されたのは、1958年。

According to Merriam-Webster:

First Known Use of blame game: 1958

Examples

• "… yet another example of the blame game that has become endemic in American life. It's always someone else's fault, and government makes an easy and familiar target." —Zachary Karabell,  Time,  18 Oct. 2010
• "Anyone who has watched the … congressional hearings on the government's inadequate response to Hurricane Katrina has witnessed officials high and low playing the blame game." — Business Week,  10 Oct. 2005
• The 'Blame Game' pumps people up emotionally.
• Coal magnate Bob Murray is no stranger to the blame game.
• The blame game has already started in Miami and surprise, surprise, Erik Spoelstra has emerged as the clear target.

Question of the Day #232

"Pruitt declares that burning wood is carbon neutral"
From the headline of this article at The Hill.

上記の文で、carbon neutral の意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "carbon neutral" 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：
英辞郎によると、


カーボンニュートラルな◆植物由来の原料の場合、燃やして炭酸ガスを放出しても、その炭酸ガス中の炭素は元来植物が光合成によって大気中の炭酸ガスから取り込んだものなので、大気中の炭酸ガス濃度は常に一定に保たれる。このような炭素循環の考え方をカーボンニュートラルという。

という、ちょっと怪しい考え方です。が、下記英語の説明でわかるように、別のもっとそれらしい定義もあります。

組織や活動等がカーボンニュートラルであれば、大気に排出する二酸化炭素と同じ量の二酸化炭素を何らかの方法で減らすことを意味する。

Answer

According to Cambridge Dictionary:

if something such as an organization or activity is carbon neutral, it removes the same amount of carbon dioxide from the environment as it releases into the environment

Etymology/語源

Dictionary.comによると、

初めて記録されたのが、1990-1995年の間。

According to Dictionary.com:

First recorded in 1990-95

Examples

• Norway plans to become totally carbon-neutral by 2050.
• The university has made a commitment to make its operations carbon neutral.
• More organizations are becoming carbon neutral.
• "It refurbished an existing building to become carbon-neutral." Times, Sunday Times (2008)
• "He said banks would have to give discounted mortgages for carbon-neutral homes." The Sun (2007)

Question of the Day #231

"Trump official won’t rule out firing Mueller"
From the headline of this article at Politico.

上記の文で、rule out の意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "rule out" 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：
英辞郎の訳の中で最も適切なのは、


無視する、除外する、排除する

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

exclude, eliminate

Examples

• another loss would rule them out of the tournament
• It’s unlikely that he’ll run for president, but you can never rule anything out.
• The Prime Minister is believed to have ruled out cuts in child benefit or pensions.
• Local detectives have ruled out foul play.
• The president has ruled out the use of U.S. troops.

Question of the Day #230

"Trump attorney Cohen overshadows Mueller probe"
From the headline of this article at The Hill.

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

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解答

意味：
英辞郎によると、


～に影を投げ掛ける、～を暗くする、見劣りさせる

なので、この場合は「見劣りさせる」が適切でしょう。

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

1. to cast a shadow over
2. to exceed in importance

So, I guess it's pretty obvious that the latter of the two definitions is more suitable in the above case.

Etymology/語源

Online Etymology Dictionaryによると、

古英語のofersceadwian（「～に影を投げ掛ける）、「見えなくする）の意」から。隠喩的な使い方は、1580年代より。

According to Online Etymology Dictionary:

Old English ofersceadwian "to cast a shadow over, obscure;"...Figurative sense is from 1580s.

Examples

• The pitcher's outstanding performance should not overshadow the achievements of the rest of the team.
• Get our daily newsletter Mr Orban’s thumping victory was overshadowed by strong criticism from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, which had deployed observers. — The Economist, "Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orban, wins another landslide," 12 Apr. 2018
• Jimmie Johnson is a seven-time champion and Kevin Harvick has been outspoken, but both were overshadowed by Earnhardt Jr. and Stewart and Gordon in their heyday. — Drew Davison, star-telegram, "Is there any driver in NASCAR worth watching these days?,"9 Apr. 2018
• Here are the big developments at EPA that will have real consequences for the long-term health of Americans, and for the climate, that were overshadowed by the scandal coverage this week. — Umair Irfan, Vox, "Scott Pruitt’s ethics scandals aren’t stopping him from gutting the EPA,"6 Apr. 2018
• Karen has always felt overshadowed by her famous elder sister.

Question of the Day #229

"Boston holds moment of silence for anniversary of bombing"
From the headline of this article at The Hill.

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

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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、


沈黙の時間、黙とうの時間

となっているが、holds moment of silenceを全体で考えると、「黙祷をした」でいいのではないでしょうか。

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster:

 a short period of silent thought or prayer

Etymology/語源

いくつかの説はありますが、Time magazineによると、

英国中でmoment of silence（黙祷）を捧げることを初めて提案したのは、オーストラリア人ジャーナリストのEdward George Honey氏とされている。Honey氏が1919年5月当時住んでいたイギリスで、London Evening New新聞に送った手紙の中で1918年11月11日に終戦した第一次世界大戦の死者を追悼するという意味で提案したとされている。Honey氏は、「五分間だけ。五分間だけ、国のために亡くなった人たちを追悼しましょう。」と書いたとされている。

There are a number of theories about the origin of this phrase, but according to Time magazine:

The idea to observe a nationwide moment of silence is widely believed to have originated with Australian journalist Edward George Honey. In May 1919 he wrote a letter to the London Evening News (he was living there at the time) wherein he proposed commemorating the first anniversary of the armistice that brought World War I to an end on November 11, 1918 with a moment of silence. "Five little minutes only," he wrote. "Five silent minutes of national remembrance."

Examples

• The crowd observed a moment of silence for those who died in the tragedy.
• The pastor always opened his Sunday service with a moment of silence.
• The principal requested a moment of silence in memory of the two girls who died in a car accident over the weekend.

Question of the Day #228

"US to impose sanctions on Russia in wake of Syrian chemical attack"
From the headline of this article at The Hill.

上記の文で、in (the) wake of の意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "in (the) wake of" mean?

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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：
英辞郎の訳の中で最も適切なのは、


～の結果（として）、～があった［起こった・分かった］今［この時点で］

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

In the aftermath of something, often as a consequence.

Examples

• In the wake of the scandal, several committee members resigned.
• We had no place to live in the wake of thefire.
• Famine often comes in the wake of war.
• Airport security was extra tight in the wake of yesterday's bomb attacks.
• ‘the committee was set up in the wake of the inquiry’

Question of the Day #227

"Why Ryan called it quits"
From the headline of this article at Politico.

上記の文で、call it quits の意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "call it quits" 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：
英辞郎の訳の中で最も適切なのは、


〔今まで続けてきたこと・職業などを〕やめる

Answer

According to :

to leave a job or stop doing something permanently

Examples

• He’s decided to call it quits after three years as editor-in-chief.
• They raised $630,000 through listener donations, and then called it quits.
• Peter Buckley called it quits after his 300th contest.
• ‘surely, after covering eleven wars, he could be forgiven for calling it quits?’
• At 10 o'clock I decided to call it quits for the day.