No. 13 (April 1, 2011)
Contretemps
An embarrassing or awkward situation(恥ずかしい事態、ぎこちない状態)
→“When she realized that she had spoken out of turn, she was at a loss how to smooth over the contretemps.”
→“While he was visiting New York, he had a bad contretemps with the police.”
Headway
Progress(進展)
→“Johnny studied hard and made lots of headway in his grades.”
→“The reform plan fails to make headway.”
Hobble
To cripple; to interfere with proper functioning(足枷になる、邪魔する)
→“Ever since his accident, David has been hobbled by recurring nightmares.”
→“The staggering national debt is hobbling the economy.”
Import
Significance; meaning(意義)
→“This necklace is an object of great import to her.”
→“Education experts are weighing the import of teaching English in elementary school.”
Limbo
An unsettled state; a dangling situation(未定・中途半端な状態)
→“She left him, leaving their relationship in limbo.”
→“The suspects remain in legal limbo as they await trial.”
Opprobrium
A harsh criticism or rebuke(非難、叱責)
→“The company’s management was subject to opprobrium for its lack of clear employment policy.”
→“The president received opprobrium for declaring war without the consent of Parliament.”
Pristine
In the original, uncontaminated condition; fresh and clean(元の状態を保った、新鮮な)
→“The child’s pristine innocence was lost when his parents got divorced.”
→“She is wearing a pristine blouse today.”
Rock
To perform well(優秀なパフィーマンスをする)
→“Tiger Woods rocked in yesterday’s tournament.”
→“Your presentation was excellent. You really rock!”
Roil
To upset; to unsettle; to agitate(揺さぶる、動揺させる、怒らせる)
→“The political turmoil is roiling the regional economy.”
→“When someone starts talking on the cell phone on a crowded train, it really roils me.”
Scale back/down
To reduce; to cut back(削減する)
→“We need to scale back our monthly entertainment expenses.”
→“Many countries chose to scale down their nuclear power plans after the major earthquake in Japan.”
Scramble
To exert oneself frantically in order to achieve a certain goal; to move in panic or in hurry(目的を達成する為に非常な努力をする、あせって動き回る)
→“She is scrambling to get admitted to a top law school.”
→“When the fire broke out, the dwellers scrambled for the exit.”
Squirm
To twist about in order to get free; to writhe and wriggle in embarrassment or discomfort; to fidget(もがく、恥辱感や不快感で身もだえする)
→“When we arrived at the airport, our son struggled to squirm out of the seat belt.”
→“The entire audience squirmed when the speaker lost his place in the lecture notes.”
Staggering
Enormous in quantity; surprising(莫大な量の、人を驚かせるほどの)
→“The new Prime Minister has staggering responsibilities.”
→“Grand Canyon was a staggering sight.”
Stalemate
A standstill; a condition of being stuck; a deadlock(滞った状態)
→“Our 3-year relationship hit stalemate as we realized we did not enjoy each other’s company so much anymore.”
→“The allied forces faced stalemate after the initial victories.”
Take stock of
To assess and evaluate the current situation and decide what step to take next(現状を分析し次の行動を練る)
→“During her period of unemployment, Jane took stock of her life.”
→“As the Cold War came to an unexpected end, many countries had to take stock of their strategies and adjust accordingly.”