screech to a halt, (on a ) dare, revolting, cross-check, cinnamon

The Perils of the 'Cinnamon Challenge'
Swallowing a tablespoon of the dry spice on a dare could lead to serious health problems, according to the latest report on the practice.

Cliff After Cliff
By CHARLES M. BLOW
Not only is the era of grand bargains over, but the era of basic governance is screeching to a halt.




In the interview, the Dalai Lama said he was told the Tibetan women would be wearing poisonous scarves and have poisonous hair. "They were supposed to seek blessing from me, and my hand touch," he said. But he added that there was "no possibility to cross-check, so I don’t know". （AFP）
在專訪中，達賴喇嘛說，他被告知這些藏族婦女將圍著有毒的哈達，同時有著一頭毒髮。「她們理當尋求我的祝福以及我的手觸摸，」他說。不過他補充，「沒有多方查證的可能性，所以真偽我不知道。」（法新社）





Those Revolting Europeans
By PAUL KRUGMAN
How dare the French and Greeks reject a failed strategy!
The momentum that allowed Toyota to become the world’s biggest and richest carmaker is screeching to a halt. It’s set to report billion-dollar losses for 2008, a stunning reversal from the record annual profits it earned earlier this decade.

NEW DELHI — The world's largest corporate deal in an emerging market, a tie-up worth nearly $50 billion between two telecommunication companies, Bharti Airtel in India and MTN Group in South Africa, came to a screeching halt Saturday.

A screech of brakes jarred the silence.

cróss-chéck[cróss-chéck]

• 動詞或名詞，多方核實。例句︰We must cross-check the data.（我們必須查核這個數據。）

[動](他)

1 〈情報・答えなどを〉方法を変えて検証［検算］する.

2 《アイスホッケー》〈相手と〉クロスチェックする.

━━[名] 〔〕

1 資料に照らして調査すること.

2 《アイスホッケー》クロスチェック. ⇒CHECK[名]8 (1)


 i. A call made by one crewmember or a controller to another crewmember to recheck or confirm a certain state or condition.
ii. The act of checking independent flight instruments for agreement or discrepancy, to confirm indications, or to detect the failure of one or more instruments.

revolting[re・volt・ing]

• レベル：社会人必須
• 発音記号[rivóultiŋ]

[形]嫌悪を催させる, （人を）ぞっとさせる((to ...)).

re・volt・ing・ly

 [副]

revolt[re・volt]

• レベル：大学入試程度
• 発音記号[rivóult]

[動](自)［I（[副]）］

1 （…に対して）そむく, 反抗する, 謀反［反乱］を起こす, 反旗をひるがえす((against, from ...))；（…に）寝返る((to ...))

revolt from one's allegiance
忠誠の誓いにそむく.

2 （…に）反感をもつ；嫌悪［憎悪］を感じる, ぞっとする((from, against, at, about ...))

revolt against parental authority
親の権威に反発する.

━━(他)…に嫌悪［憎悪］をいだかせる, をむかむかさせる

be revolted at his dreadful manners
彼のひどいマナーにむかつく.

━━[名]

1 [U][C]（…への）反抗（心）, 反逆, 反乱, 暴動((against ...))

rise in revolt
反乱を起こす

lead a revolt against ...
…への反乱を指導する.

2 [U]（…への）反感, 嫌悪, 憎悪((against ...)).

［中フランス語←俗ラテン語revolvitāre （re-再び＋volvitāre回る）. △REVOLVE］

re・volt・er

[名]

screech Show phonetics
verb [I]
to make a unpleasant loud high noise:
She was screeching at him at the top of her voice.
He was screeching with pain/laughter.
[+ speech] "Don't you dare touch me!" she screeched.
The car screeched to a halt/standstill (= stopped very suddenly, making a loud high noise).
FIGURATIVE The economic recovery is likely to screech to a halt/standstill (= stop very suddenly) if taxes are increased.

screech Show phonetics
noun [C]
a long loud high noise which is unpleasant to hear:
He let out a loud screech.
The truck stopped with a screech of brakes.

screech	(noun) A shrill, harsh, or high-pitched sound or cry.
Synonyms:	scream, shriek
Usage:	Just then the locomotive gave a sharp screech, and the train passed out into the darkness of the night.

Definition of dare

verb (3rd singular present usually dare before an expressed or implied infinitive)

• 1 (as modal usually with infinitive with or without to often with negative) have the courage to do something:a story he dare not write down she leaned forward as far as she dared
• (how dare you) used to express indignation at something:how dare you talk to me like that!
• (don't you dare) used to order someone threateningly not to do something:don’t you dare touch me

• 2 [with object and infinitive] defy or challenge (someone) to do something:she was daring him to disagree [with object]:swap with me, I dare you

• 3 [with object] literary take the risk of; brave:few dared his wrath

noun

• a challenge, especially to prove courage:she ran across a main road for a dare

Phrases

I dare say (or daresay)

used to indicate that one believes something is probable:I dare say you’ve heard about her

Derivatives

darer

noun

Origin:

Old English durran, of Germanic origin; related to Gothic gadaursan, from an Indo-European root shared by Greek tharsein and Sanskrit dhṛṣ- 'be bold'

Grammar

A verb that can be used as a normal verb and also as a modal auxiliary verb. For this reason it is sometimes described as a ‘semi-modal’ verb. As a normal verb it is followed by the infinitive form of the verb:He dared to criticize the leader outright. As a modal auxiliary verb it is followed by the verb stem:But I dare say you like apples. She dared not complain. It can also stand alone in expressions such as:Don’t you dare!

dare[dare]

• レベル：大学入試程度
• 発音記号[déər]

[動]（dared or((古))durst 〔drst〕, dared）(他)

1 あえて［思い切って, ずうずうしくも］…する；…する勇気がある.
(1) ((助動詞的用法))((ふつう否定文・疑問文で用い, 助動詞do, didを使わず, toなし不定詞を伴う. 三人称単数現在でも-sをとらない))

He daren't tell us.
彼には我々に話す勇気がない

Dare he fight？
彼に戦う勇気があるかな

How dare you speak to me like that？
おれに向かってなんて口のきき方だ（▼How dare you？は怒りを示す決まり文句）

They dared not arrive late again.
遅刻しようなどという気を二度と起こさなかった

The king was so hot-tempered that no one dare tell him the bad news.
王様はひどく短気な人だったので, だれもその悪い知らせを王に告げようとしなかった（▼過去形はdaredだが, 間接話法の中ではdareを用いることも多い）.

(2) ((動詞的用法))［III(to) do］((通例肯定文))

He dared to jump across the brook.
思いきってその小川を飛び越えた

He will never dare to enter my house again.
二度と私の家に入ることはないだろう

“Mummy, can I make a drawing on the wall？” “You ［Don't you］ dare！”
「ママ, 壁に絵をかいてもいいかな」「とんでもありません」.

[語法]疑問文・否定文でも一般動詞として扱う傾向があり, 三人称単数現在でも-sがつく中間的な形もみられる：Does he dare to do it？彼はやる気があるだろうか/He dares not ［ ＝He doesn't dare (to)］ ask for help. 彼には助けを求める勇気がない.

2 ((主に文))〈危険などに〉立ち向かう, 物ともしない, ぶつかっていく

dare any danger
どんな危険でも冒す

dare a person's anger
人の怒りを物ともしない

dare a leap
思いきって飛ぶ.

3 ［V[名]to do］〈人に〉（…するように）けしかける, 挑戦する, やれるものならやってみろと言う

I dare you to jump from this wall.
この塀から飛べるものなら飛び降りてみろ

He dared me to swim across the river.
その川を向う岸まで泳げるかと私を挑発した.

━━(自)大胆に［ずうずうしく］やる

You wouldn't dare！
君にはとてもやれまい.

dare I say it

あえて言わせてもらうと.

I dare say/I daresay

〔drsei〕
(1) たぶん, おそらく；そうでしょうよ（▼しばしば反語的）

It is a lie, I dare say.
たぶんうそだろう.

(2) 〈…と〉あえて言う((that節))（▼ 〔drséi〕 と発音）

I dare say that you must go.
出て行ってほしい, あえて言うのだが.

━━[名][U][C]あえてすること；いどむこと, 挑戦(challenge)

for a dare
挑戦を受けて

give ［take, accept, decline］ a dare
挑戦する［応じる, 受けて立つ, 拒む］

He did it on a dare from her.
彼女からけしかけられて彼はそうした.

［古英語dearr. durran（あえてする）の現在一, 三人称の形］

cinnamon

Pronunciation: /ˈsɪnəmən/

Translate cinnamon | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish

Definition of cinnamon

noun

• 1 [mass noun] an aromatic spice made from the peeled, dried, and rolled bark of a SE Asian tree: a teaspoon of ground cinnamon [as modifier]:a cinnamon cake
• a yellowish-brown colour resembling that of cinnamon: [as modifier]:he wore a short-sleeved shirt and pale cinnamon slacks

• 2the tree which yields cinnamon.

  • Genus Cinnamomum, family Lauraceae: several species

Origin:

late Middle English: from Old French cinnamome (from Greek kinnamōmon), and Latin cinnamon (from Greek kinnamon), both from a Semitic language and perhaps based on Malay

white asparagus gets its proper respect in France and German

 

Letter From Paris

Worthy of Versailles

By ELAINE SCIOLINO

Ignored in the United States, white asparagus gets its proper respect in France, where it is a herald of spring.

  

In-Box | 21.05.2011 | 17:30

[In-Box]Feedback from Around the World

Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: The season for white asparagus is short – just 6 to 8 weeks long. It can be bought at just about every German market at this time of year but the epicenter is in the Baden-Württemberg town of Bruchsal

This week you can hear all about a vegetable sometimes referred to as “white gold” here in Germany - this year’s Eurovision Song Contest continues to interest listeners – you can hear a fascinating profile from a listener in Bangladesh – and the choice of music can be considered varied.

劉克襄

■■台灣最便宜的飲料

從苗栗北河山區往獅潭前進。在苗26公路上，遇見一間雅緻的柑仔店。就算不怎麼樣，我們和山友一定會進去消費，因為再往前，方圓十里相信都不會有第二家了。

我在店裡買了一罐安斯百露佳素。寫這個名字，相信沒幾個人知道是什麼，若說味王蘆筍汁，相信大家就熟稔了。

但為何有這個冗長的怪名，原來蘆筍汁裡面含有比較多的一種胺基酸，叫天門冬醯胺。詞彙叫Asparagine，接近蘆筍英文名Asparagus。安斯百露佳素之名應該是由此轉化。

unsung, Briton, stew on, Britannia, stuff, stuffy, overstuffed, made the trip, unwept, public good

The New Philanthropists: More Sophisticated, More Demanding -- and Younger
Steel magnate Andrew Carnegie once said that he who dies leaving behind many millions will "pass away unwept, unhonored and unsung." That philosophy took root in much of the last century, with major philanthropists giving vast fortunes in their later years to institutions devoted to the public good. But donors today aren't taking any chances. They are integrating the practice of philanthropy into their education and flexing philanthropic muscle at a younger age than their predecessors.



Educated Germans are familiar with the works of the brothers; their disagreement over World War I, which Heinrich opposed; and their generally chilly relationship. The unveiling of the postcards made the evening news and the newspapers, in part because it came as rather a surprise to see the supposedly stuffy Thomas going on about slippers and dentists. Some of the bad blood between Thomas and Heinrich (“The myth of the eternal, fraternal strife,” as the daily Stuttgarter Zeitung put it) might need a bit of revision as well.
受過教育的德國人對曼氏兄弟耳熟能詳，不僅是對於他們的作品而言，還包 括二人對於“一戰”的意見分歧（亨利希反對），以及二人向來冷淡的兄弟關係。此次發現這組明信片的消息，登上了晚間新聞和報紙，部分原因，是其展現了托馬 斯·曼的另一面，令人出乎意料：一般總認為他為人沉悶，哪曾想，他也可以就拖鞋和牙醫之類的話題喋喋不休。同時，湯瑪斯與亨利希之間的嫌隙——據《斯圖加 特日報》(Stuttgarter Zeitung)稱，所謂“永恆的兄弟鬥爭神話”——可能也需要一些修訂了。








That supplement was swallowed whole into a new 1989 edition, but the 1933 supplement was not — and therein lies the rub. In compiling his supplement, was Dr. Burchfield more stuffy about the English language than his predecessors, or not?





China Charges Wife of Ousted Official in Briton’s Killing
By ANDREW JACOBS 4:42 PM ET

Gu Kailai, the wife of the disgraced political leader Bo Xilai, has been indicted for intentional homicide, in a crime that has triggered a political crisis in China. 

The people of the mountains he remembered, too. On his ascent of K2 he took a pair of micro-hydroelectric systems to give non-smoky light and heat to two remote villages. This made the trip for him, though he never reached the top. He kept a watch on how climate change was affecting both the Himalayas and the Alps. But he never wanted to be part of any large and overstuffed expedition. Nor did he seek out the celebrity peaks, or brag about “conquering” the unsung 6,000-7,000-metre peaks he preferred.


Europe Stews on Greece, and Markets Sweat Out the Wait
By NELSON D. SCHWARTZ

Once an aid plan for Greece is wrapped up, it will likely be weeks or even months before any action on a broader rescue for Europe comes to pass.

Briton[Brit・on]

• レベル：大学入試程度
• 発音記号[brítn]

[名]

1 ((形式))大ブリテン人, 英国人, （特に）イングランド人.

2 ブリトン人：ケルト系民族の一派.

stew

v., stewed, stew·ing, stews.v.tr.
To cook (food) by simmering or boiling slowly.

v.intr.

1. To undergo cooking by boiling slowly or simmering. See synonyms at boil¹.
2. Informal. To suffer with oppressive heat or stuffy confinement; swelter.
3. Informal. To be in a state of anxiety or agitation. See synonyms at brood.

News Analysis: Rude Britannia

Could the Murdoch hacking scandal be a symbol of something more — a society that has lost its way?

Britannia

brĭ-tăn'yə, -tăn'ē-ə)
n.

1. A female personification of Great Britain or the British Empire.
2. also britannia Britannia metal.

[Latin, Britain, from Britannī, the Britons.]

Britannia, the Roman name for the British Isles revived by Camden (1586), has become the poetic name for Britain. Personified as a seated female figure, she appeared emblematically (modelled by Fran

òverstúff[òver・stúff]

[動](他)

1 …を過度に詰め込む.

2 〈いすなどを〉詰め物と張り地で厚く張りぐるむ.ces Stewart) on Charles II's 1667 peace of Breda medal and copper coinage (1672); the ‘union’ shield resting alongside bore the crosses of St George and St Andrew.
 (ō'vər-stŭf')
tr.v., -stuffed, -stuff·ing, -stuffs.

1. To stuff too much into: overstuff a suitcase.
2. To upholster (an armchair, for example) deeply and thickly.

 overstuffed adj.

 stuff

v., stuffed, stuff·ing, stuffs.
v.tr.

1. 1. To pack (a container) tightly; cram: stuff a Christmas stocking.
   2. To block (a passage); plug: stuff a crack with caulking.
   3. Basketball. To block (a shot or an opponent who is shooting), especially before the ball leaves the shooter's hands.
2. 1. To place forcefully into a container or space; thrust: stuffed laundry into the bag.
   2. Sports. To shoot (a ball or puck) forcefully into the goal from close range.
   3. Basketball. To dunk (the ball).
3. 1. To fill with an appropriate stuffing: stuff a pillow.
   2. To fill (an animal skin) to restore its natural form for mounting or display.
4. To cram with food.
5. To fill (the mind): His head is stuffed with silly notions.
6. To put fraudulent votes into (a ballot box).
7. To apply a preservative and softening agent to (leather).

 make ［take, go on］ a trip to ...
…へ旅行する（▼((米))make a tripは商用などの旅行に, take a tripは観光旅行に用いる）

stuff·y  

/ˈstəfē/

Adjective (of a place) Lacking fresh air or ventilation. (of a person's nose) Blocked up and making breathing difficult, typically as a result of illness.

Synonyms sultry - airless - close - stifling

stuffy

音節

stuff • y

発音

stʌ'fi

レベル

社会人必須

[形]（-i・er, -i・est）

1 〈場所が〉風通し［換気］の悪い, 息苦しい；〈鼻が〉詰まった；〈頭が〉重い.

2 〈演説・文章などが〉つまらない, 退屈な.

3 ((略式))もったいぶった, 尊大な, 堅苦しい, 古臭い；((主に英))〈人・精神などが〉古風な, 保守的な.

stuff・i・ly

[副]

stuff・i・ness

[名]

unwept

Pronunciation: /ʌnˈwɛpt/

Definition of unwept

adjective

chiefly literary

(of a person) not mourned or lamented.

unsung

Pronunciation: /ʌnˈsʌŋ/

Definition of unsung

adjective

not celebrated or praised:Harvey is one of the unsung heroes of the industrial revolution

Definition of public good

noun

• 1 Economics a commodity or service that is provided without profit to all members of a society, either by the government or by a private individual or organization.

2the benefit or well-being of the public:the frequent conflict between the public good and private interests

rugged, rugged individualism,The Old Rugged Cross

Samsung Plans 'Rugged' Version of Galaxy S 4 Phone

The Old Rugged Cross古舊十架

The Old Rugged Cross - YouTube

徹底個人主義的省思 許木柱譯 著
全集又譯"粗獷的個人主義"
rugged individualism
Meaning #1: individualism in social and economic affairs; belief not only in personal liberty and self-reliance but also in free competition

Definition of rugged

adjective

• 1(of ground or terrain) having a broken, rocky, and uneven surface:a rugged coastline
• (of a man) having attractively strong, rough-hewn features:he was known for his rugged good looks

• 2(of clothing, equipment, etc.) strongly made and capable of withstanding rough handling:the binoculars are compact, lightweight, and rugged
• having or requiring toughness and determination:a week of rugged, demanding adventure at an outdoor training centre

Derivatives

ruggedly

adverb

ruggedness

noun

Origin:

Middle English (in the sense 'shaggy', also (of a horse) 'rough-coated'): probably of Scandinavian origin; compare with Swedish rugga 'roughen', also with rug

rugged

 

音節

rug • ged

発音

rʌ'gid

レベル

社会人必須

[形]

1 （表面が）でこぼこのある, ごつごつした, ぎざぎざの；起伏の多い；岩だらけの.

2 〈顔が〉しわの寄った；〈顔つきなどが〉いかつい.

3 〈人・性格などが〉きびしい, 険しい；厳格な；((略式))（技量・体力・決断力などが）厳しく試される.

4 ぼくとつな；無骨な；飾り気のない

a rugged kindness
素朴な親切.

5 〈天候が〉荒れた, あらしの, 荒天の；〈季節が〉厳しい.

6 〈生活などが〉苦しい, つらい, 困難な

lead a rugged life
苦しい生活をする.

7 不愉快な；耳障りな, 聞きづらい.

8 質素な

rugged fare
粗食.

9 〈物が〉丈夫な, しっかりした；((主に米・ほめて))〈人が〉男性的でたくましい

rugged floor covering
丈夫な床の敷物.

［スカンジナビア語. △RUG］

rug・ged・ly

[副]

rug・ged・ness

[名]

cut one's teeth, real/with teeth, in the teeth of , put teeth in ...

 Put teeth in Google privacy fines
CNN International
(CNN) -- This week Germany levied a fine against Google for one of the biggest wiretapping violations in history. The fine? Less than $200,000. Google's net profits in 2012? More than $10 billion. Imagine a driver of a fancy car caught for speeding and ...


"France has no tradition of investigative journalism," Gerard Davet, one of the first true proponents of the trade, told Deutsche Welle. A gaunt, soft-spoken 44-year-old, Davet cut his teeth on political scandals at local daily Le Parisien before moving to national daily and journal of reference Le Monde, where he has been sticking those teeth, these past nine years, into Nicolas Sarkozy.

According to Caro, Johnson responded, “Well, what the hell’s the presidency for?”

This is the question every president must ask and answer. For Lyndon Johnson in the final weeks of 1963, the presidency was for two things: passing a civil rights bill with teeth, to replace the much weaker 1957 law he’d helped to pass as Senate majority leader, and launching the War on Poverty.

Advertising

Woman's Day Turns 75 While Looking Forward

By STUART ELLIOTT

In its celebration, the magazine is striving for what its editor called "a delicate balance," capitalizing on longevity without appearing too long in the tooth to be contemporary.

cut one's teeth

Also, cut one's eyeteeth on. Get one's first experience by doing, or learn early in life, as in I cut my teeth on this kind of layout or He cut his eyeteeth on magazine editing. This term alludes to the literal verb to cut teeth, meaning "to have teeth first emerge through a baby's gums," a usage dating from the late 1600s.

in the teeth of ...

(1) …に面と向かって, さからって.
(2) …をものともせず, …に反対して.

tooth

Pronunciation: /tuːθ/

Translate tooth | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish

Definition of tooth

noun (plural teeth /tiːθ/)

• 1each of a set of hard, bony enamel-coated structures in the jaws of most vertebrates, used for biting and chewing: he clenched his teeth [as modifier]:tooth decay
• each of a number of hard, pointed structures in or around the mouth of some invertebrates, functioning in the physical breakdown of food.
• (teeth) genuine power or effectiveness of an organization or in a law or agreement:the Charter would be fine if it had teeth and could be enforced
• (teeth) used in curses or exclamations:Hell’s teeth!

• 2a projecting part on a tool or other instrument, especially one of a series that function or engage together, such as a cog on a gearwheel or a point on a saw.
• a projecting part on an animal or plant, especially one of a jagged or dentate row on the margin of a leaf or shell.

• 3 [in singular] an appetite or liking for a particular thing:what a tooth for fruit a monkey has!

• 4 [mass noun] roughness given to a surface to allow colour or glue to adhere: the paper used in copying machines is good as it has tooth and takes ink well

Phrases

fight tooth and nail

fight very fiercely.

get (or sink) one's teeth into

work energetically and productively on (a task):the course gives students something to get their teeth into

in the teeth of

directly against (the wind): in the teeth of the gale we set off for the farm

in spite of (opposition or difficulty):the firm has expanded its building contracting division in the teeth of recession

set someone's teeth on edge

see edge.

Derivatives

toothed

adjective

tooth-like

adjective

drown out, last straw, clutch at straws

A Song of Lament for Syria

By NIHAD SIREES

In Aleppo, a city famous for its love of music, the bombs are drowning out the songs. 

Definition of drown

verb

[no object]

• die through submersion in and inhalation of water:a motorist drowned when her car plunged off the edge of a quay (be drowned)two fishermen were drowned when their motor boat capsized
• [with object] deliberately kill (a person or animal) by drowning:he immediately drowned four of the dogs
• [with object] submerge or flood (an area):when the ice melted the valleys were drowned
• [with object] (of a sound) make (another sound) inaudible by being much louder:his voice was drowned out by the approaching engine noise
• [no object] (be drowning in) be overwhelmed by a large amount of something:both business and household sectors are drowning in debt art dealers are still drowning in a sea of paperwork
• [with object] (drown something in) cover or immerse food in:good pizza is not eight inches thick and drowned in tomato sauce

Phrases

drown one's sorrows

forget one’s problems by getting drunk: he bought a bottle of whisky to drown his sorrows

like a drowned rat

extremely wet and bedraggled: she arrived at the church looking like a drowned rat

Origin:

Middle English (originally northern): related to Old Norse drukkna 'to be drowned', also to drink

last straw
n.
The last of a series of annoyances or disappointments that leads one to a final loss of patience, temper, trust, or hope.

[From the proverb "It's the last straw that breaks the camel's back".]

Clutch at straws

Meaning
Try any route to get out of a desperate situation, no matter how unlikely it is to succeed.
Origin
It is only since the mid-19th century that we have been clutching at straws. Prior to that, desperate people would 'catch at a straw'. That usage of 'catch' was commonly used in mediaeval England, by which was meant 'obtain/achieve'. For example, John Wycliffe used it in his 1382 translation of the Bible into English, in 1 Timothy 6:12:

Stryve thou a good strif of feith, catche everlastyng lyf

By the 17th century, in the King James Version, this had migrated to:

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life

Our present day ambitions are more prosaic and we only use that sense of 'catch' now to catch trains, buses and, occasionally, colds.
A straw was chosen as the height of futility as a means of rescue. Being, as it was, a flimsy and virtually valueless waste product, it was often used as a synonym for the most unimportant and trifling of objects. 'Don't give/care a straw' was an indication of indifference, a 'man of straw' was an insubstantial adversary, and to 'condemn someone to straw' was to declare them ready for the madhouse.
'To clutch at straws' is now used as a figurative phrase, to describe any desperate situation. When the expression was coined it specifically referred to drowning. The notion of a drowning man anxiously seeking 'any port in a storm' was first expressed by Sir Thomas More, in A Dialogue of Comfort Against Tribulation, 1534:

A man in peril of drowning catchest whatsoever cometh next to hand... be it never so simple a stick.

More used the imagery on several occasions, but didn't mention straw in any of them. The 'catch at a straw' version of the proverb is first recorded in the English cleric John Prime's Fruitful and Brief Discourse, 1583:

We do not as men redie to be drowned, catch at euery straw.

The metaphor expresses futility rather well. Straws do float, but a drowning man would have to be pretty much out of other ideas if he put any reliance on it bearing his weight.
Moving on to the 19th century, 'catch' has fallen from favour and we find an early mention of the current 'clutch at straws' version in The New-York Mirror, 1832:

... as drowning men clutch at straws.

On to the 21st century and you no longer need to be drowning or desperate to clutch at straws - straw clutch bags have become fashion items.
See also: the List of Proverbs.

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ordinary, ordinariness, in ordinary, Ordinary of the Mass

 After Attack, Suspects Returned to Routines, Raising No Suspicions

By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE and IAN LOVETT

For more than three days, the very ordinariness of their activities let the Tsarnaev brothers hide in plain sight.

a doctor in ordinary

in ordinary[in ordinary]

常任の

a professor in ordinary to the government
政府常任委員の大学教授.

in ordinary courant, ordinaire, habituel

ordinary ：教區首長（主教）：有權治理教區 diocese 、代牧區 vicariate 、監牧區 prefecture 的首長，通常都稱（是）主教。詳見 local ordinary 。

Ordinary of the Mass ：彌撒常用經文：與彌撒專用經文相對照。詳見 Proper of the Mass 。

Proper of the Mass ：彌撒專用經文：彌撒經文中常變動的部分；彌撒中有些經文會隨節慶或禮儀週期而變動，如集禱經、讀經、獻禮經等，稱為彌撒專用經文；也有些經文固定不變，如求主垂憐經、天主經等，稱為彌撒常用經文 Common or the Ordinary of the Mass 。

Proper of the Season ：季節專用經文。詳見 Proper of the Mass 。

Definition of ordinary

adjective

• 1with no special or distinctive features; normal:he sets out to depict ordinary people it was just an ordinary evening
• not interesting or exceptional; commonplace:she seemed very ordinary

• 2(especially of a judge or bishop) exercising authority by virtue of office and not by deputation.

noun (plural ordinaries)

• 1 (the ordinary) what is commonplace or standard:their clichés were vested with enough emotion to elevate them above the ordinary

• 2 Law, British a judge who exercises authority by virtue of office and not by deputation.

• 3 (the Ordinary) a clergyman, such as an archbishop in a province or a bishop in a diocese, with immediate jurisdiction.

• 4 (Ordinary) those parts of a Roman Catholic service, especially the Mass, which do not vary from day to day.
• a rule or book laying down the order of divine service.

• 5 Heraldry any of the simplest principal charges used in coats of arms (especially chief, pale, bend, fess, bar, chevron, cross, saltire).

• 6short for ordinary share.

• 7 archaic a meal provided at a fixed time and price at an inn.
• an inn providing a meal at a fixed time and price.

• 8 historical, chiefly North American a penny-farthing bicycle.

Phrases

in ordinary

British (in titles) by permanent appointment, especially to the royal household:painter in ordinary to Her Majesty

in the ordinary way

British if the circumstances are or were not exceptional; normally: but in the ordinary way we shouldn’t expect to hear from him

out of the ordinary

unusual:nothing out of the ordinary happened

Derivatives

ordinariness

noun

Origin:

late Middle English: the noun partly via Old French; the adjective from Latin ordinarius 'orderly' (reinforced by French ordinaire), from ordo, ordin- 'order'

 

texture, gantry, private label, shipshape

There exist some listeners curious and genuinely interested in Mr. McCartney’s loose moments and toss-offs, who feel that “Hey Jude” has penetrated deeply enough into the world’s culture, who admire the intuitive out-take-iness of records like “Ram” and “McCartney II,” and who wouldn’t mind a little more texture in his shows. They may yet have their day, but this concert was not for them.


In the middle of the set, out of respect to the stage, Mr. McCartney introduced a song by an old Apollo star, Marvin Gaye. It was “Hitch Hike,” which the Beatles played during the “Let It Be” sessions but never recorded, and it was going pretty well, with six women dancing on a platform behind the stage, Ready Steady Go! style. Then the house speakers turned off, only the stage monitors were audible, and a screech of feedback made Mr. McCartney recoil. After some delay the sound-system righted, and the band, with the dancers, took it again from the top. On one hand: that would have been hard to hear in the car. On the other hand: texture!



Light Show
The white light shows the short-range communication system between the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) gantry and the reader inside the vehicles.

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,2056669,00.html#ixzz1FgB4tYdR

Central Expressway
The Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) gantry is an electronic toll collection scheme designed to manage traffic flow in congested areas. The charge of passing through a gantry depends on the location and time.

The Promise of Private-label Media
by Matthew Egol, Leslie H. Moeller, and Christopher Vollmer
New York, August 10, 2009 – The growing popularity of private-label media is one of the more provocative developments in today’s marketing and media ecosystem. Every marketer, advertising agency, and media company needs to know its benefits, and, just as important, its implications for the industry.



abbr.
original equipment manufacturer


Brand sponsored by a wholesaler, retailer, dealer, or merchant, as distinguished from a brand bearing the name of a manufacturer or producer; also called private brand. Manufacturers use either their own name, that of a middleman, or a combination of both when they are marketing their products. Private labeling occurs when middlemen, usually large retailers or wholesalers, develop their own brand. Since manufacturers' (producers') brands have large advertising expenditures built into their cost, a private labeler is able to buy the same goods at a lower cost and thus sell them at a lower price and/or at a better profit margin. In addition, private labelers have more control over pricing and are able to advantageously display their own brands for maximum impact. For example, a grocery store can quickly reduce the price of its own private-label brand in order to meet or beat a competitor's price. Or the grocery store can create a special point-of-purchase advertising display and/or give its brand predominant shelf space in order to boost sales. Private-label brands are usually priced lower than comparable manufacturers' brands and therefore appeal to bargain-conscious consumers. An example of a private-label brand would be a supermarket product bearing a store label with a product's name.



gantry

[名]

1 《鉄道》信号橋.

2 ガントリー：2つの門形塔を結ぶ骨組み構造.

3 《宇宙》ガントリー(gantry scaffold)：大型ロケット打ち上げ用作業塔［架台］.

4 たるを支える枠.

texture

(tĕks'chər)
n.

1. A structure of interwoven fibers or other elements.
2. The distinctive physical composition or structure of something, especially with respect to the size, shape, and arrangment of its parts: the texture of sandy soil; the texture of cooked fish.
3. 1. The appearance and feel of a surface: the smooth texture of soap.
   2. A rough or grainy surface quality: Brick walls give a room texture.
4. Distinctive or identifying quality or character: "an intensely meditative poet [who] conveys the religious and cultural texture of time spent in a Benedictine monastery" (New York Times).
5. The quality given to a piece of art, literature, or music by the interrelationship of its elements: "The baroque influence in his music is clear here, with the harmonic complexity and texture" (Rachelle Roe).

tr.v., -tured, -tur·ing, -tures.
To give texture to, especially to impart desirable surface characteristics to: texture a printing plate by lining and stippling it.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin textūra, from textus, past participle of texere, to weave. See text.]

[名][C][U]

1 （織物の）織り方；織地, 生地；（一般に）織物；（視覚的・感触的な）表面の感じ；外見, きめ, （材質などからくる）感じ；組織

a rough［a close］ texture
目のざらざらした［つんだ］織り

the texture of the road surface
路面の状態.

2 （意識・社会などの）組織, 構造.

3 本質的［特徴的］な性格, 本質.

4 （物が目に, 食べ物が舌・歯に与える）質感, 歯ごたえ.

5 （文学・音楽作品などの）テクスチュア.

shipshape(adjective) Of places; characterized by order and neatness; free from disorder.
Synonyms:	trim, well-kept
Usage:	Toys were strewn everywhere in the playroom, but we worked together to clean it up and soon had the place shipshape.

sojourn, get under someone's skin

 

The Terrorist's Sojourn in a Most Dangerous Place18

 

 

'Dreaming in Chinese'

By DEBORAH FALLOWS
Reviewed by LESLEY DOWNER

On a three-year sojourn, Deborah Fallows got under China's skin by immersing herself in its language.


get under someone's skin
1. Irritate someone, as in She really knows how to get under my skin with her nagging. This expression no doubt alludes to burrowing or stinging insects that cause itching or similar skin irritations. [Late 1800s]
2. Obsess someone or affect someone's deep feelings, as in Jean's really gotten under his skin; he misses her terribly. Cole Porter used this sense in his love song, "I've Got You Under My Skin" (1936).

sojourn

Pronunciation: /ˈsɒdʒ(ə)n, -dʒəːn/

formal

Definition of sojourn

noun

• a temporary stay:her sojourn in Rome

verb

[no object, with adverbial of place]

• stay somewhere temporarily:she had sojourned once in Egypt

Derivatives

sojourner

noun

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French sojourner, based on Latin sub- 'under' + late Latin diurnum 'day'