No. 39 (Oct 7, 2011)
Aplomb
Confidence backed by required skills(必要とされるスキルにバックアップされた自信)
→“When some protesters tried to cause disturbance during the speech, the president handled it with great aplomb.”
→“He organized the dinner party with aplomb.”
Bode
To be a sign for the future(将来の前兆となる)
→“The political trends do not bode well for the ruling party.”
→“The aide’s conviction bodes ill for the politician.”
Cue
A signal for the next step to be taken; a sign or omen for something to happen next; a hint(次のステップを取るように促すシグナル、何かが次に起きる前兆、ヒント)
→“She was conditioned by family and other social cues into developing a positive psychological stance on the Republican Party early in childhood.”
→“As if on cue, it started raining just as we got in the car.”
→“When the company started downsizing, I took my cue and began looking for a new job.”
Disseminate
To distribute and spread information(情報を広げ分散させる)
→“By the end of the 19th century, the idea of democracy was widely disseminated.”
→“Government’s job is to collect and disseminate necessary information to the public.”
Grip
To hold something tightly; to have a strong impact; to captivate someone’s interest(堅く握りしめる、強い影響を及ぼす、強く関心を湧かす)
→“The policeman gripped me by the arm.”
→“The bank tightened its belt as recession gripped the financial industry.”
→“I am reading a biography of Saint Francis of Assissi. I find it gripping.”
Huckster
(As verb) To be aggressive and even dishonest in one’s attempt to promote and sell something (あの手この手で押し売りのように強引に何かを売ろうとする)
→“The whole nation was disgusted with his huckstering showmanship.”
(As noun) An unscrupulously aggressive salesperson(信頼のおけない強引な営業マン)
→“Today I had to spend most of the morning hours fending off a huckster who walked in determined to sell his products.”
Iffy
Uncertain(確定してない)
→“My vacation plan in Hawaii is still iffy.”
→“A truly responsible financial regulatory system is at best iffy.”
Last-ditch
Final, before time is up(土壇場の、最後ぎりぎりの)
→“The student made a last-ditch effort to pass the exam.”
→“The beleaguered army is frantically crafting a last-ditch strategy.”
Margin
An additional amount which is included in the plan so as to make sure that it gets successfully carried out(計画が実現するよう念のため余分に含む時間や量)
→“The nuclear power plant has a 5-hour margin for meltdown.”
→“When you go to an interview, it’s always a good policy to allow yourself a safety margin of 15 minutes in case there is a traffic delay.”
Pass off
To give a false identity or nature(偽って通用させる)
→“He goes to singles’ bars, passing himself off as a bachelor.”
→“I want to avoid passing it off as a case of genuine miracle.”
Revile
To express hate(憎悪を表現する)
→“When the visiting diplomat made a speech, she was reviled by the audience.”
→“He is respected abroad but is reviled in his own country.”
Sibilant
Making an ‘s’ or ‘sh’ sound(「s」か「sh」の音を発する)
→“The old man spoke in a sibilant whisper.”
→“I heard her heavy, sibilant breathing.”
Take on
To fight; to hire; to agree to accept a task; to have a particular quality(対戦する又は挑む、雇う、何か任務や課題を買って出る、ある特定の質を持つ)
→“Amazon takes on Apple with its new tablet.”
→“The Internet start-up just announced that it will take on 5,000 new staff.”
→“I made a mistake and took on a major project.”
→“When the student asked her a rather personal question, her face took on a stern expression.”