No. 27 (July 8, 2011)
Apace
At a fast pace(速いペースで)
→“The anti-government riot spread apace after a 10-year-old boy was shot and killed by the government forces.”
→“Her generosity grew apace as she became richer and richer.”
Breed
To cause into being; to bring about(発生させる、引き起こす)
→“Bad family relationships often breed psychological disorders.”
→“A miserable failure sometimes breeds a spectacular success.”
Corpus
A large collection(大量のコレクション・集合体)
→“According to a corpus of new data, the disease can be very deadly if it’s not treated immediately.”
→“The national library has the entire corpus of ancient Greek manuscripts.”
Drawdown
A reduction or decrease(縮減、削減)
→“She turned down the job offer because it would have meant a drawdown in income.”
→“The US is contemplating a troop drawdown in its overseas military operations.”
Even keel
Stable; solid(安定した、堅実な)
1. On an even keel
→“I value stability above everything. That’s why I want to keep our relationship on an even keel.”
2. Even-keeled
→“They trust her as a leader because she is intelligent and even-keeled.”
Harrowing
Frightening and shocking in an upsetting way(気分を害するように恐ろしい、又はショッキングな)
→“Our daughter went through a harrowing time when she was interviewed by the persistent TV crew.”
→“There was a shooting on the bus. That was the most harrowing experience of my life.”
Lever
A tool or means with which to get the result one seeks(目的を達成する為の道具や手段)
→“She uses her charms as a lever to advance her career.”
→“His fluent English is a powerful lever at his disposal to drive up global sales.”
Plum
To be so good and ideal that others would envy(他人が羨ましがるように良い)
→“I accepted the job offer on the spot. It was a plum job.”
→“The school gave him the plum role of leading the graduation ceremony.”
(As noun) Something very good and ideal that others would envy(他人が羨ましがるように良いもの)
→“When they asked her to translate the latest bestseller by Miyuki Miyabe, she just could not possibly pass it up. It was a real plum.”
Rip
To strongly criticize(激しく叱責する)
→“My new book was ripped by literary critics.”
→“The new UN chief ripped the authoritarian regime for its poor human rights record.”
Slog
To work hard without resting; to go tirelessly on a journey(休むことなく働 き続ける、目的地に向かって進行を続ける)
→“Ever since I got promoted at work, I have been slogging away as if nothing else mattered.”
→“When I found out that the train was delayed, I decided to slog my way to the office.”
A long, tiring work or journey(長く疲れる仕事・道のり)
→“Being an accountant sometimes means having to put up with a slog, but this is the profession I chose.”
→“Life is like an uphill slog with a heavy rucksack on your back.”
Wholesale
Thorough-going; sweeping; in totality(全体に行きわたる、包括的な、全部ひっくるめて)
→“The earthquake and tsunami caused a wholesale destruction of the coastal region.”
→“When I converted to the religion, I decided to embrace the entire doctrine wholesale.”
Zero in on
To focus on(集中する、脚光をあてる)
→“While I was lecturing, I could not help zeroing in on the well-dressed elderly gentleman seated in the center of the auditorium.”
→“The new museum zeros in on the history of labor unions in this country.”