Question of the Day #843

They also threaten to lower our medium-term growth potential, worsen the inequality trifecta (of income, wealth and opportunity), place further pressure on our social and political fabric, and pull the rug from under a crisis-prone global economy.

From the 14th paragraph of this article at The Hill.

  上記の文で、pull the rug from underの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "pull the rug from under" 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. （人）への援助［支援］を急に［突然］やめる［中止する・打ち切る］
2. 〔援助・支持を突然やめて〕（人）をつまずかせる、（人）の足をすくう

   

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

To suddenly or unexpectedly remove or rescind support, help, or assistance from someone; to abruptly leave someone in a problematic or difficult situation.

 

Examples

• The universe knows exactly when to pull the rug out from under me. - The Sun (2008)
• The only snag is she could be pulling the rug out from under her own feet. - The Sun (2010)
• ‘I couldn't just pull the rug out from under her feet like that’
• I felt like someone had pulled the rug out from under me when my health insurance said it was going to stop paying for my medical bills.
• I'd love to quit my job, but I just can't pull the rug from under my team like that.

   

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Question of the Day #842

“Say there's a close call, where a vehicle crosses the path of a pedestrian. We can identify these conflict hotspots,” says Ramos.

From the 27th paragraph of this article at Phoenix.gov.

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

危機一髪

ただし、イディオム以外にclose callが使用されることがあるので、文面に注意する必要があります。

 

Answer

According to Merriam-Webster :

a narrow escape

   

Examples

• It was a close call, but I managed to avoid hitting the deer that ran directly in front of my car.
• 'That was a close call,' said Bess, as the boat steadied.
• It was a close call — and a warning. Times, Sunday Times (2017)
• Ultimately, he returns to deliver a triumphant performance, but it is a close call. Times, Sunday Times (2010)
• A car almost hit me while I was riding my bike. It was a close call.

   

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Question of the Day #841

While that's rich coming from someone who's literally a human action figure, Gosling, who plays the iconic himbo in the new Barbie movie, says it's "not an insult at all."

From the 1st paragraph of this article at Entertainment.

  上記の文で、that's richとhimboの意味は？
In the sentence above, what do "that's rich" and "himbo" 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：
Weblioによるとthat's richは、

それはおもしろい、それはばかげている!

上記の訳で間違いではないのですが、舌ったらずです。
厳密に言うと前提があります。すなわち、「（他の人を非難している人は、同じ欠点があるのに、その非難が）ばかげている」。もっと簡単に言うと、「よく言うよ、お前も同じじゃない」が適訳になると思います。

英辞郎によると、himboは、

〈俗〉ハンサムだが［ルックスは良いが］頭が空っぽの男性◆bimbo（美人だが頭が空っぽの女性）の男性版。軽蔑的。

 

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary, "that's rich" means:

used to say that a criticism somebody makes is surprising and not reasonable, because they have the same fault

  According to the Collins Dictionary, himbo means:

an attractive, but empty-headed man

   

Examples

• You think I'm flaky? That's rich, considering you didn't show up either.
• Me? Lazy? That’s rich, coming from you!
• Whatever my issues with the picture (poor pacing, scattered action, making Thor a himbo to the point of cringe-inducing incompetence, etc.), the finale works. — Scott Mendelson, Forbes, 11 July 2022
• That’s the magic formula of the himbo, and the cornerstone of The Lost City’s easy humor. — David Sims, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2022
• After a string of himbo comedies, Matthew McConaughey plays an attorney in The Lincoln Lawyer. - MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY ON THE LINCOLN LAWYER|CHRIS LEE|MARCH 18, 2011|DAILY BEAST

   

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Sports English #033

Mariners' 14-game win streak entering break is an MLB first

このMLB.comの見出しより。

 

上記の文のwin streakの意味は下記の通りです。

解説

 

Win streakは、winning streakの省略で英辞郎によると、

連勝

また、この見出しのbreakは、All Star game break（オールスターゲーム休暇）のことです。

したがって、問題文の意訳は

オールスターゲーム直前のマリナーズの14連勝は、MLB初

になります。    

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Question of the Day #840

We need to give employees enough free space to pause, take a breather, seek advice and support if needed and feel supported throughout their journey.

From the 3rd paragraph of this article at Forbes.

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

一息つく、一休みする

   

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

To take a short pause or hiatus (from something).

   

Examples

• Regroup and take a breather at midday.
• You can go ahead on the hike if you want, I'm going to stop here and take a breather.
• The senator is taking a breather from his campaign to spend some time with his family.
• “Yeah. I’m just taking a breather. You guys carry on; just ignore me.”
 - When Dimple Met Rishi
• What does exist is the paragraph break: a visual bookmark that allows the reader to pause, take a breather, assimilate what he has read, and then find his place again on the page.
 - The Sense of Style

   

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Question of the Day #839

UK View: Jones showed 'balls as big as the Opera House' but still 'too clever by half' as Poms won with 'grit and spirit'

From the headline of this article at The Roar.

  上記の文で、too clever by halfの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "too clever by half" 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 ～》〈英〉賢さを鼻にかけて嫌われる

主にイギリスで使用されていることになっていますが、インターネットがある今では、アメリカでもかなり頻繁に使用されるようになっています。
余談：Pomsは、オーストラリア英語でイギリス人のことです。語源は、はっきりしませんが、この記事によると最も有力な説は、イギリスからの新しい移民（当時は島流しの囚人）は、暑さのために真っ赤になったのでpomegranate（ザクロ）と呼ばれ、それがpomsに省略された。

 

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

Too contrived or arrogant in one's cleverness or intelligence, to the point of being irritating to others.

 

Examples

• Good planning or too clever by half? - Times, Sunday Times (2010)
• Phil's good at thinking up excuses for his behaviour - he's too clever by half.
• His many admirers describe him as clever: his enemies as too clever by half.
• I think every adolescent goes through a stage where they become too clever by half and begin to think of themselves as the only person who has things figured out.
• The phones people use these days are all too clever by half—I can barely even use them to make phone calls!

   

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Question of the Day #838

If you’ve wanted a given gadget or tool for a while (let’s say a month) and your interest in acquiring it hasn’t waned over time, then sure, Prime Day might be the opportunity to pull the trigger on it.

From the 5th paragraph of this article at The Takeout.

  上記の文で、pull the triggerの意味は？
In the sentence above, what does "pull the trigger" 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. 引き金を引く
2. 〈比喩〉きっかけを作る

一つ目の訳は直訳だからいいとして、二つ目の比喩はどこから来たのかを知りたい。比喩として使う場合は「きっかけを作る」ではなく、下記英語の定義にあるように「最終決定をする」か「活動方針等を決める」です。

 

Answer

According to The Free Dictionary:

To make a final decision or commit to a certain course of action (about something).

   

Examples

• They would like him to pull the trigger on a rights issue sooner rather than later. - Times, Sunday Times
• Just look at the picture above and ask yourself — could you pull the trigger? - Times, Sunday Times
• Jeff's been hemming and hawing about which car to buy—I wish he would just pull the trigger already!
• If we don't pull the trigger on this deal then we might never get the chance again.

   

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