2013年6月30日 星期日

unflappable, night out, grandee, evident surprise


Star Has Detour, but She Ends Up in Same Place
Through three rounds of the United States Women’s Open, Inbee Park has performed with unflappable poise, leading by four strokes (10 under par) at Sebonack.


Overheard Wednesday's Mansion House dinner was supposed to be new U.K. Chancellor George Osborne's big night out. But by far the biggest applause of the evening from assembled City grandees went to predecessor Alistair Darling, much to his evident surprise. The Treasury boss in Gordon Brown's government looked nervous to be back in the City so soon after Labour's election defeat—understandably, given City anger over the 50% tax rate, the bonus tax and his bank-bashing rhetoric.
But when Osborne paid tribute, acknowledging Darling's "very hard work in difficult circumstances", even some of Labour's bitterest critics were seen clapping hard. Perhaps they recognized that the hardest circumstances the unflappable Darling faced was working under a Prime Minister who famously unleashed "the forces of hell" upon him. And they could only imagine what Brown might have unleashed on the City were Darling not there to restrain him.

Definition of unflappable

adjective

informal
  • having or showing calmness in a crisis.

Derivatives

unflappability

Pronunciation: /-ˌflapəˈbilətē/
noun

unflappably

Pronunciation: /-blē/
adverb

gran·dee (grăn-dē') pronunciation
n.
    1. A nobleman of the highest rank in Spain or Portugal.
    2. Used as the title for such a nobleman.
  1. A person of eminence or high rank.
[Spanish grande, from Latin grandis, great.]

2013年6月28日 星期五

abstain, stone cold sober,teetotaler, abstinence, teetotal




Westerwelle: Germany to abstain in UN Palestine vote

Germany plans to abstain during Thursday's vote at the UN General Assembly
on the Palestinians' diplomatic status. German Foreign Minister Westerwelle
said the expected UN endorsement would run counter to peace efforts.




In All Those Pages, a Surprise or Two

By MICHELLE ANDREWS
Among the many provisions in the law are an excise tax on indoor tanning and money for abstinence programs.


Abstinence Education Done Right
No single approach will reduce sexual activity in all teenagers, but a new study suggests that there is a sensible, effective way to teach abstinence.


The book is delicious, in its minimalist, essayistic way. But it sends you out the door a bit hungry, and stone sober.

February 25, 2009, 10:00 pm

Rock Star, Meet Teetotaler



In the restaurant, the little tables shimmered under the moody lighting. It was just the kind of lightning, I knew, that after a few drinks would take on a shadowy glow and make our table the only table, a tiny oasis. But here I was: stone cold sober, out of the house for the first time in weeks, and meeting new people — an intimidatingly attractive couple with bright smiles and even brighter careers.




abstain

音節
ab • stain
発音
æbstéin, əb-
レベル
社会人必須
abstainの変化形
abstained (過去形) • abstained (過去分詞) • abstaining (現在分詞) • abstains (三人称単数現在)
[動](自)
1 (行為・快楽を)慎む, 控える, 自制する, 節制する(refrain)((from ...));(…するのを)断つ, やめる((from doing))
abstain from premarital sex
婚前交渉を控える
abstain from drinkingsmoking
禁酒[禁煙]する.
2 (投票を)棄権する((from ...))
abstain from voting
投票を棄権する.

stone
adj.
  1. Relating to or made of stone: a stone wall.
  2. Made of stoneware or earthenware.
  3. Complete; utter: a stone liar.
adv.
Completely; utterly: stone cold; standing stone still.


teetotal 
adjective
never drinking alcohol or opposed to the drinking of alcohol

adj.
  1. Of, relating to, or practicing complete abstinence from alcoholic beverages.
  2. Total; absolute.
[Probably partly TEE1 (pronunciation of the first letter in TOTAL) + total (abstinence), and partly reduplication of TOTAL.]
teetotally tee·to'tal·ly adv.


teetotal

adjective

  • choosing or characterized by abstinence from alcohol:a teetotal lifestyle

Derivatives

teetotalism

Pronunciation: /-ˌizəm/
noun
ab·sti·nence (ăb'stə-nəns) pronunciation
n.
The act or practice of refraining from indulging an appetite or desire, especially for alcoholic drink or sexual intercourse.

[Middle English, from Old French abstenance, from Latin abstinentia, from abstinēns, abstinent-, present participle of abstinēre, to hold back. See abstain.]
abstinent ab'sti·nent adj.
abstinently ab'sti·nent·ly adv.
SYNONYMS abstinence, self-denial, temperance, sobriety, continence. These nouns refer to restraint of one's appetites or desires. Abstinence implies the willful avoidance of pleasures, especially of food and drink, thought to be harmful or self-indulgent: "I vainly reminded him of his protracted abstinence from food" (Emily Brontë). Self-denial suggests resisting one's own desires for the achievement of a higher goal: I practiced self-denial to provide for my family's needs. Temperance refers to moderation and self-restraint and sobriety to gravity in bearing, manner, or treatment; both nouns denote moderation in or abstinence from the consumption of alcoholic liquor: Teetotalers preach temperance for everyone. "those moments which would come between the subsidence of actual sobriety and the commencement of intoxication" (Anthony Trollope). Continence specifically refers to abstention from sexual activity: The nun took a vow of continence.

2013年6月26日 星期三

cast, recast, brandish, avid angler, extinct

Op-Ed: Ich Bin Ein Berliner
Fifty years ago, John F. Kennedy recast the Cold War in an unforgettable speech. 


Recasting the Information Infrastructure for the Industrial Age, Richard R. John
Volcker Prefers Work to Fishing Paul A. Volcker, the former Federal Reserve chairman, shares an office with Richard Ravitch, the longtime New York political figure, The Wall Street Journal reports. The two old friends are avid anglers, but Mr. Volcker, who has been a key adviser on financial regulation, said he has no plans to retire, noting that work is "more relaxing than fishing," The Journal writes.


Pyramid Lake Journal

20 Pounds? Not Too Bad, for an Extinct Fish

By NATE SCHWEBER

A giant trout once believed to be extinct is once again delighting anglers at Pyramid Lake in Nevada. 



H-P to Brandish Tech Credentials

H-P, known to consumers mostly as a printer specialist, is seeking to recast itself as a broader tech company with a new ad campaign featuring rapper Dr. Dre, comedian Rhys Darby and the slogan "Lets Do Amazing."






You’re Checked Out, but Your Brain Is Tuned In
By BENEDICT CAREY
Research suggests that falling into a numbed trance allows the brain to recast the outside world in ways that can be productive and creative.


By DAVID POGUE
I've always been an iMovie nut. This humble video-editing program from Apple, in its way, launched my entire career of making weekly goofball tech videos. For three years, I made them all by myself, on the cheap, with a camcorder and iMovie.
Other goofs were unintentional: as Apollo 13 circles the moon and loses the signal with mission control, the ship is seen going into the moon's shadow.

brandish
━━ vt. (剣などを)振回す ((at)).

tr.v., -dished, -dish·ing, -dish·es.
  1. To wave or flourish (a weapon, for example) menacingly.
  2. To display ostentatiously. See synonyms at flourish.
n.
A menacing or defiant wave or flourish.

[Middle English brandissen, from Old French brandir, brandiss-, from brand, sword, of Germanic origin.]
brandisher bran'dish·er n.

cast

v., cast, cast·ing, casts. v.tr.
    1. To throw (something, especially something light): The angler cast the line.
    2. To throw with force; hurl: waves that cast driftwood far up on the shore. See synonyms at throw.
  1. To shed; molt.
  2. To throw forth; drop: cast anchor.
  3. To throw on the ground, as in wrestling.
  4. To deposit or indicate (a ballot or vote).
  5. To turn or direct: All eyes were cast upon the speaker.
  6. To cause to fall onto or over something or in a certain direction, as if by throwing: candles casting light; cast aspersions on my character; findings that cast doubt on our hypothesis.
  7. To bestow; confer: "The government I cast upon my brother" (Shakespeare).
    1. To roll or throw (dice, for example).
    2. To draw (lots).
  8. To give birth to prematurely: The cow cast a calf.
  9. To cause (hunting hounds) to scatter and circle in search of a lost scent.
    1. To choose actors for (a play, for example).
    2. To assign a certain role to (an actor): cast her as the lead.
    3. To assign an actor to (a part): cast each role carefully.
  10. To form (liquid metal, for example) into a particular shape by pouring into a mold.
  11. To give a form to; arrange: decided to cast the book in three parts.
  12. To contrive; devise: cast a plan.
  13. To calculate or compute; add up (a column of figures).
  14. To calculate astrologically: cast my horoscope.
  15. To warp; twist: floorboards cast by age.
  16. Nautical. To turn (a ship); change to the opposite tack.
v.intr.
  1. To throw something, especially to throw out a lure or bait at the end of a fishing line.
  2. To add a column of figures; make calculations.
  3. To make a conjecture or a forecast.
  4. To receive form or shape in a mold.
  5. To become warped.
  6. To search for a lost scent in hunting with hounds.
  7. Nautical.
    1. To veer to leeward from a former course; fall off.
    2. To put about; tack.
  8. To choose actors for the parts in a play, movie, or other theatrical presentation.
  9. Obsolete. To estimate; conjecture.
n.
    1. The act or an instance of casting or throwing.
    2. The distance thrown.
    1. A throwing of a fishing line or net into the water.
    2. The line or net thrown.
    1. A throw of dice.
    2. The number thrown.
  1. A stroke of fortune or fate; lot.
    1. A direction or expression of the eyes.
    2. A slight squint.
  2. Something, such as molted skin, that is thrown off, out, or away.
  3. The addition of a column of figures; calculation.
  4. A conjecture; a forecast.
    1. The act of pouring molten material into a mold.
    2. The amount of molten material poured into a mold at a single operation.
    3. Something formed by this means: The sculpture was a bronze cast.
  5. An impression formed in a mold or matrix; a mold: a cast of her face made in plaster.
  6. A rigid dressing, usually made of gauze and plaster of Paris, used to immobilize an injured body part, as in a fracture or dislocation. Also called plaster cast.
  7. The form in which something is made or constructed; arrangement: the close-set cast of her features.
  8. Outward form or look; appearance: a suit of stylish cast.
  9. Sort; type: fancied himself to be of a macho cast.
  10. An inclination; tendency: her thoughtful cast of mind.
  11. The actors in a play, movie, or other theatrical presentation.
  12. A slight trace of color; a tinge.
  13. A distortion of shape.
  14. The circling of hounds to pick up a scent in hunting.
  15. A pair of hawks released by a falconer at one time. See synonyms at flock1.
phrasal verbs:
cast about or around
  1. To make a search; look: had to cast about for an hour, looking for a good campsite.
  2. To devise means; contrive.
cast off
  1. To discard; reject: cast off old clothing.
  2. To let go; set loose: cast off a boat; cast off a line.
  3. To make the last row of stitches in knitting.
  4. Printing. To estimate the space a mansucript will occupy when set into type.
cast on
  1. To make the first row of stitches in knitting.
cast out
  1. To drive out by force; expel.
idiom:
cast (one's) lot with
  1. To join or side with for better or worse.
[Middle English casten, from Old Norse kasta.]
━━ vt. (cast) 投げる; (票を)投じる; 投げ[脱ぎ]すてる; 投げかける; 放つ; (目を)向ける; (樹が未熟の果実を)落す; 【動】(古い皮・角などを)落す; 鋳造する; 【印】電気版[ステロ]にする; 計算する; 配役する; (くじを)引く; (魔法を)かける; 解雇する; (名誉・非難などを)与える, 加える, 負わせる.
━━ vi. さい(ころ)を投げる, 釣糸をたれる; 鋳型通りになる, 鋳造される; 思案[工夫]する, 計算する.
cast about [around] 捜す ((for)); 思案する.
cast aside (投げ)捨てる, 排斥する.
cast away 捨てる; 斥ける; 難破させる; 置きざりにする.
cast down (目を)伏せる; 投げ倒す; 落胆させる.
cast off (脱ぎ)捨てる, (束縛から)脱却する; 仕上げる; 【海事】(綱を)放す.
cast on 編み始める.
cast out 投げ出す; 追い出す.
cast oneself on (人の同情に)すがる.
cast up 投げ[打ち]上げる; 合計する.
━━ n. 投げ(ること); ひと投げ; 射程; 試み; 鋳型, 鋳物, 鋳造; 【医】ギプス; 【劇】配役, 出演者全員; 計算, 勘定; ようす; 種類, タイプ; 顔つき; 色合い, 気味; 予想; (軽い)斜視; 車に乗せてやる[もらう]こと; (ヘビなどの)ぬけがら; 【コンピュータ】キャスト ((プログラミング言語での型変換の指定)).
cast of mind 気質.
the last cast 最後の運試し.
cast・away ━━ a., n. 難破した(人); 見捨てられた(者); ならず者.



Definition of recast

verb (past and past participle recast)

[with object]
  • 1 give (a metal object) a different form by melting it down and reshaping it: in 1919, the bells were recast
  • present or organize in a different form or style:his doctoral thesis has been recast for the general reader
2 allocate the parts in (a play or film) to different actors:there were moves to recast the play
recast
tr.v., -cast, -cast·ing, -casts.
  1. To mold again: recast a bell.
  2. To set down or present (ideas, for example) in a new or different arrangement: recast a sentence.
  3. To change the cast of (a theatrical production).
n. ('kăst')
  1. The act or process of recasting.
  2. Something produced by recasting.
━━ n. 改鋳; 改作; 配役[キャスト]変更.
━━ 〔vt. (〜) 改作する; 配役を変える; 鋳直す.

fug, poorly, reeking, suffocation, stench, block the road leading

But as Japan’s imperial ambitions grew, China was the obvious place to expand. In 1931 Japan occupied Manchuria, turning from mentor to oppressor. The full-scale invasion began in 1937. Mr Mitter does not skimp in narrating the atrocities; the stench of war infuses his narrative. But he paints a broader account of the Chinese struggle, explaining the history that still shapes Chinese thinking today.




DONGTANG, China--Amid the persistent stench of chemicals used at nearby factories, villagers here were once again reminded of the dangers surrounding them when a 6-year-old boy’s hair began falling out.
Villagers block the road leading to a factory believed responsible for lead poisoning in Dongtang in the city of Shaoguan in Guangdong province. (Keiko Yoshioka)
Villagers block the road leading to a factory believed responsible for lead poisoning in Dongtang in the city of Shaoguan in Guangdong province. (Keiko Yoshioka)







Whenever Bronze took his seat in the orchestra, the first thing that happened to him was that his face grew red, and the perspiration streamed from it, for the air was always hot, and reeking of garlic to the point of suffocation.

黑心帝國—中國製造業第一手全揭祕
孟天/著
賴秀如



fug

n.
A heavy, stale atmosphere, especially the musty air of an overcrowded or poorly ventilated room: "In spite of the open windows the stench had become a reeking fug" (Colleen McCullough).

[Perhaps alteration of fogo, stench.]

[名][U]
1 ((英略式))(室内の)むっとする空気.
2 ((スコット))霧.
fug・gy
The noun has one meaning:
Meaning #1: (British informal) an airless smoky smelly atmosphere



poorly
[副]貧しく;乏しく;不完全に;まずく, へたに, みすぼらしく, みじめに
a poorly paid job
低賃金の仕事
do poorly
成績[業績など]が上がらない
think very poorly of one's professor
自分の先生を快く思わない.
be poorly off
貧困的
(1) 暮らし向きが悪い.
(2) (…が)不足している((for ...)).
━━[形]((英略式))((叙述))健康がすぐれない, 病身の
feel poorly
気分がすぐれない.


reek

[名]1 強い臭気, 激しい悪臭 the [a] reek of rotten eggs腐った卵の悪臭.2 [U]湯気, 蒸気;((文))((スコット))濃い煙.━━[動](自)1 (…の)悪臭...




Definition of stench

noun

  • a strong and very unpleasant smell:the stench of rotting fish

Origin:

Old English stenc 'smell', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch stank, German Gestank, also to the verb stink


stench[stench]

  • レベル:社会人必須
  • 発音記号[sténtʃ]
[名]((通例the [a] 〜))((文))(強烈な)悪臭. ⇒SMELL[類語]
the frightful stench of death
強烈な死臭.
[古英語stenc(におい). △STINK

experient, Rex, regicide, enfranchis


Come the restoration, however, he was arrested as a regicide, subjected to an outrageously rigged trial, and then hanged, drawn and quartered at Charing Cross.

Cooke was a man of great courage and republican principle. In words worth remembering this week, he wrote to his wife from the Tower shortly before his execution: "We fought for the public good and would have enfranchised the people and secured the welfare of the whole groaning creation, if the nation had not delighted more in servitude than freedom."





題一:參考《羅斯福王》(Theodore Rex by EDMUND MORRIS),北京:文津出版社/北京出版社 出版集團,2004 ◎為什麼不是《提奧多王》

Rex [rɛks]
n
(Government, Politics & Diplomacy) king: part of the official title of a king, now used chiefly in documents, legal proceedings, inscriptions on coins, etc Compare Regina1
[Latin]

experient

Etymology

From Latin experiri

[edit] Noun

Singular
experient

Plural
experients
experient (plural experients)
  1. A person who experiences something.

[edit] Adjective

experient (comparative more experient, superlative most experient)
Positive
experient

Comparative
more experient

Superlative
most experient
  1. Met with in the course of experience.


regicide

Syllabification: (reg·i·cide)
Pronunciation: /ˈrejəˌsīd/
Definition of regicide

noun

  • the action of killing a king.
  • a person who kills or takes part in killing a king.
     
     
    [名]((形式))
    1 [U]国王殺し, 弑逆(しいぎゃく);大逆罪.
    2 国王殺害者;((the Regicides))Charles Iを死刑にした67人の裁判官.

Derivatives

regicidal

Pronunciation: /ˌrejəˈsīdl/
adjective

Origin:

mid 16th century: from Latin rex, reg- 'king' + -cide, probably suggested by French régicide




enfranchise

Syllabification: (en·fran·chise)
Pronunciation: /enˈfranˌCHīz/
Definition of enfranchise

verb

[with object]
  • give the right to vote to:a proposal that foreigners should be enfranchised for local elections
  • historical free (a slave).

Derivatives

enfranchisement

noun

Origin:

late Middle English (formerly also as infranchise): from Old French enfranchiss-, lengthened stem of enfranchir, from en- (expressing a change of state) + franc, franche 'free'

Spelling help

Enfranchise ends in -ise.

2013年6月23日 星期日

highball, proportion, vinegar,

on Page 87:
"... How I envy the clarity of vision that comes to the travelling salesman in a railway buffet-car at the third highball! How simple the great problems become! ..."
Return to book


Op-Ed: Brazil’s Vinegar Uprising
Humor is a powerful weapon in the march toward full democracy.


Definition of vinegar

noun

[mass noun]
  • a sour-tasting liquid containing acetic acid, obtained by fermenting dilute alcoholic liquids, typically wine, cider, or beer, and used as a condiment or for pickling.
  • sourness or peevishness of behaviour, character, or speech:her aggrieved tone held a touch of vinegar

Derivatives

vinegarish

adjective

vinegary

adjective

vinegariness

noun

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French vyn egre, based on Latin vinum 'wine' + acer 'sour'



highball
n.

━━ n., vi. ハイボール ((ウイスキーをソーダ水で割った飲物)); (鉄道の)進めの信号; 〔俗〕 全速で突っ走る.
high

  1. A cocktail served in a tall glass and consisting of liquor, such as whiskey, mixed with water or a carbonated beverage.
    1. A railroad signal indicating full speed ahead.
    2. A high-speed train.
intr.v. Slang., -balled, -ball·ing, -balls.
To move ahead at full speed.
A highball is the name for a family of mixed drinks that are composed of an alcoholic base spirit and a larger proportion of a non-alcoholic mixer. Originally, the most common highball was made with rye whiskey and ginger ale. The Online Etymology Dictionary suggests that the name originated around 1898 and probably derives from ball meaning a "drink of whiskey" and high because it is served in a tall glass.


proportion
(prə-pôr'shən, -pōr'-) pronunciation
n.
  1. A part considered in relation to the whole.
  2. A relationship between things or parts of things with respect to comparative magnitude, quantity, or degree: the proper proportion between oil and vinegar in the dressing.
  3. A relationship between quantities such that if one varies then another varies in a manner dependent on the first: "We do not always find visible happiness in proportion to visible virtue" (Samuel Johnson).
  4. Agreeable or harmonious relation of parts within a whole; balance or symmetry.
  5. Dimensions; size. Often used in the plural.
  6. Mathematics. A statement of equality between two ratios. Four quantities, a, b, c, d, are said to be in proportion if a/b = c/d.
tr.v., -tioned, -tion·ing, -tions.
  1. To adjust so that proper relations between parts are attained.
  2. To form the parts of with balance or symmetry.
[Middle English proporcion, from Old French proportion, from Latin prōportiō, prōportiōn-, from prō portiōne, according to (each) part : prō, according to; see pro-1 + portiōne, ablative of portiō, part.]
proportionable pro·por'tion·a·ble adj.
proportionably pro·por'tion·a·bly adv.
proportioner pro·por'tion·er n.
proportionment pro·por'tion·ment n.
SYNONYMS proportion, harmony, symmetry, balance. These nouns mean aesthetic arrangement marked by proper distribution of elements. Proportion is the agreeable relation of parts within a whole: a house with rooms of gracious proportion. Harmony is the pleasing interaction or appropriate combination of elements: the harmony of your facial features. Symmetry and balance both imply an arrangement of parts on either side of a dividing line, but symmetry frequently emphasizes mirror-image correspondence of parts, while balance often suggests dissimilar parts that offset each other harmoniously: flowers planted in perfect symmetry around the pool. "In all perfectly beautiful objects, there is found the opposition of one part to another, and a reciprocal balance" (John Ruskin).

2013年6月22日 星期六

thus, thus far, so far off the mark, 60,000 cycles of takeoffs and landings

 The secret FISA court is made up of 11 federal judges appointed by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, and has been criticized as a rubber stamp for classified U.S. national-security data requests. President Obama has defended the FISA program and the Prism system, and called for a public debate about the balance between national security and consumer privacy. But thus far, the Department of Justice has resisted calls by Google for permission to report the number of FISA requests it receives separately.



Paul Richter, a senior Boeing engineer, said that the company had thought the jets would not be vulnerable to serious cracks in their skin until “much, much later,” and that it was surprised that its safety projections were so far off the mark.
He said Boeing had expected the aluminum skin and the supporting joints on the planes to last through 60,000 cycles of takeoffs and landings before airlines need to be concerned about cracks. But the Southwest jet had nearly 40,000 cycles, according to federal regulators.



Definition of thus

adverb

literary or formal
  • 1as a result or consequence of this; therefore:Burke knocked out Byrne, thus becoming champion
  • 2in the manner now being indicated or exemplified; in this way:she rang up Susan, and while she was thus engaged Chignell summoned the doctor
  • 3 [as submodifier] to this point; so:the Ryder Cup is the highlight of Torrance’s career thus far

Origin:

Old English, of unknown origin

2013年6月20日 星期四

léading mán, leadership, no less than, no less...than, break the mould

  The expression 'dumb ox' long predates 'dumb blonde' and was first applied to no less a luminary than the taciturn theologian Saint Thomas Aquinas.
 
A Billionaire Who Breaks the Mold
Xavier Niel’s low-cost Web and mobile services have disrupted the established operators in France, but his goal is no less than to instill an entrepreneurial technology culture in the country.

Leading Man, Miles Beyond the Boy Band



break the mould

put an end to a restrictive pattern of events or behaviour by doing things in a markedly different way:his work did much to break the mould of the old urban sociology
leadership
('dər-shĭp') pronunciation
n.
  1. The position or office of a leader: ascended to the leadership of the party.
  2. Capacity or ability to lead: showed strong leadership during her first term in office.
  3. A group of leaders: met with the leadership of the nation's top unions.
  4. Guidance; direction: The business prospered under the leadership of the new president.

[名][U]
1 指導者の地位[身分, 任務];優位.
2 指導, 統率, 指揮;指導力;統率力
follow the leadership of ...
…の指揮に従う.
3 [C]((the 〜))((集合的))((単数・複数扱い))(集団の)指導者団, 指導部.


léading mán[léading mán]
(映画・劇の)主役男優.

Leading man or leading gentleman is an informal term for the actor who plays a love interest to the leading actress in a film or play. A leading man is usually an all rounder; capable of singing, dancing, and acting at a professional level, but never outshining his female co-star. A good leading man could make a bad actress look better than she was and a good actress shine.
A leading man can also be an actor who is typecast in romantic roles. Less frequently, the epithet has been applied to an actor who is often associated with one particular actress, for example, Errol Flynn was Olivia de Havilland's leading man in several films, Spencer Tracy had a similar association with Katharine Hepburn; used in this sense, however, the woman is usually described as the leading lady of the man. The term is also used collectively, as in 'Hollywood's leading men' to refer to a group of notable, famous or popular actors. Some examples of modern leading men include Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, and Daniel Craig.

no less ... than

 
…に劣らないほど…で, と同じ(程度)に…で
The child is no less charming than her sister.
その子はお姉さんに劣らないほどかわいい(▼お姉さんはかわいい, ということを前提に, 「姉に劣らずかわいい」の意;She is not less charming than her sister. では「かわいさが姉より劣っていることはない, かえって勝るかもしれない」の意.).

 (no less than) used to emphasize a surprisingly large amount: no less than eight people died

broker, king maker, kingpin, power broker

WikiLeaks Working to Get Asylum for Snowden
WikiLeaks and Edward J. Snowden’s legal team have been brokering his asylum in Iceland, Julian Assange said.


Japan PM to meet powerbroker Ozawa at 0800 GMT-Jiji
Reuters
TOKYO Aug 31 (Reuters) - Japanese powerbroker Ichiro Ozawa will meet Prime Minister Naoto Kan at 5 pm (0800 GMT) on Tuesday, Jiji news agency reported, ...



Major Drug Kingpin Arrested in Mexico
Edgar Valdez Villareal's arrest, the result of a year-long intelligence operation, was a big win for President Felipe Calderson, who recently redoubled efforts to win the drug war.







Definition of broker

noun

  • a person who buys and sells goods or assets for others: the centralized lenders operate through brokersCompare with broker-dealer.

verb

[with object]
arrange or negotiate (an agreement):fighting continued despite attempts to broker a ceasefire



kingpin


 
音節
kíng • pìn
kingpinの変化形
kingpins (複数形)
[名]((ふつう単数形))
1 ((略式))中心人物, 親分;中枢.
2kingbolt.
3 《ボウリング》1番ピン(headpin);5番ピン.

king

音節
king
発音
kíŋ
レベル
最重要
kingの変化形
kings (複数形) • kings (三人称単数現在)
kingの慣用句
be king, (全1件)
[名]
1 ((時にK-))王, 国王, 君主, 帝王. ▼女性形はqueen. ⇒EMPEROR
King Henry VIII
ヘンリー八世
His Majesty the King
国王陛下
King Log
実権のない王, 指導力のない指導者〈Aesop
King Stark
暴君〈Aesop
crown a person king
人を王位につける.
2 (同一種類の中で)最良[最大]の人[動物, 物];(一集団・範疇(はんちゅう)の中で)もっとも代表的な人物((of ...));大立て者, …王;((俗))(事業での)やり手
the king of the forest
森の王(カシの大木)
the king of beasts [the jungle
百獣[ジャングル]の王(ライオン)
the king of birds
鳥の王(ワシ)
the uncrowned king of
…界の無冠の帝王.
3 《トランプ》キング;《チェス》キング;《チェッカー》キング, 成駒(なりごま).
4
(1) ((K-))神(God);キリスト(the King of Kings)
the King of Heavenbliss, glory
天にまします神.
(2) 皇帝:昔, 東方諸国の王が用いた称号.
5 (生殖能力のある)雄シロアリ.
6 ((〜s))((米略式))キングサイズの巻きタバコ1箱.
7 ((the K-))エルビス・プレスリー(Elvis Presley).
be king
絶大な影響力をもつ.
━━[動](他)…を王位につかせる, 国王[君主]にする.
━━(自)[king it]王として君臨する;(…に)いばりちらす((over ...)).
[古英語cyning→cyng. △ドイツ語König]
king・less
[形]

2013年6月19日 星期三

problematic break-up, thrifty, vigorously






Well
Few Wash Hands Properly, Study Finds
By NICHOLAS BAKALAR
Researchers found that among those who used public toilets in one college town, 10 percent did not wash their hands at all, and almost a quarter used no soap. Only 5 percent washed for longer than 15 seconds; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends rubbing vigorously with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.





China's Robust Spenders
China's thrifty consumers have not been major contributors to its remarkable growth story. With almost half of household wealth tied up in property, will falling home prices make China consume even less?


The Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group told the Avis Budget Group that its $1.3 billion takeover offer for the company was "problematic" because it did not provide for a break-up fee if the deal fell through because of antitrust reasons.

Go to Item from DealBook»

prob·lem·at·ic (prŏb'lə-măt'ĭk) pronunciation

also prob·lem·at·i·cal (-ĭ-kəl)
adj.
  1. Posing a problem; difficult to solve: a repair that proved more problematic than first expected.
  2. Open to doubt; debatable: "if you ever get married, which seems to me extremely problematic" (Oscar Wilde).
  3. Not settled; unresolved or dubious: a problematic future.
problematically prob'lem·at'i·cal·ly adv.


thrifty
(thrĭf') pronunciation
adj., -i·er, -i·est.
  1. Practicing or marked by the practice of thrift; wisely economical. See synonyms at sparing.
  2. Industrious and thriving; prosperous.
  3. Growing vigorously; thriving, as a plant.
thriftily thrift'i·ly adv.
thriftiness thrift'i·ness n.

vigorously

Pronunciation: /ˈvɪg(ə)rəsli/
Definition of vigorously

adverb

  • in a way that involves physical strength, effort, or energy; strenuously:she shook her head vigorously
  • forcefully:he vigorously denied the allegation

2013年6月18日 星期二

tweet, tweeting, tweeter, immediacy, ding and dent,all hell breaks loose, “lol”s

June 9, 2009 3:00 PM PDT
Google's Schmidt dings Bing
Google CEO Eric Schmidt, as one might expect, offered no public sense that Microsoft's new Bing search engine has him pacing the halls at night.
"I need street names and patience," Cory Booker told one worried tweeter as up to 80 centimeters of snow trapped many New Jersey residents in their homes.
厚達80公分的積雪把許多新澤西州居民困在家中,布克市長在推特上向一名憂心的推友表示,「我需要街道名稱和耐心。」

Microsoft Bing Dings Google, Searches Twitter Tweets
eWeek - New York, NY
Microsoft adds real-time search capabilities to its Bing search engine as it seeks to knock Google from its search perch. Now users can use Bing to find the ...



European Firms Try Out Twitter
While most senior executives still regard Twitter as a diversion from work, some have been quick to incorporate "tweeting" as part of their extremely busy routines.


Wedding Bells For Google And Twitter?
ChannelWeb - Manhasset,NY,USA
Earlier this week, Google activated its Twitter account and all Tweets broke loose. As of Friday morning, Google had more than 26000 followers. ...

2009.7

Microsoft's Bing Now Indexes (Some) Tweets
PC Magazine - USA
There's been a bit of talk over the past half-year about Twitter search eclipsing Google in terms search immediacy. Microsoft--who, let's face it, ...



 2010.7.1
Google’s first online outburst against its Chinese hosts was a stern and high-minded rebuke of state censorship. Over 765 words, chief legal officer David Drummond railed against online attacks and their “security and human rights implications”. The second, two months later in March, was shorter (510 words) and more conciliatory. The third, posted last night, was shorter still (368) and outright deferential. At this rate, Google will be posting news of its exit with a few “lol”s and a smiley on Twitter.
首次在网上向中国政府发难时,谷歌(Google)对互联 网审查制度作了严厉而高傲的 诘责。在全长765个字的声明中,谷歌首席法律顾问庄孟德(David Drummond)严词抨击了网络攻击行为及其“对安全和人权问题上的影响”。两个月后,也就是在3月份,谷歌发表了第二篇相关声明,这次篇幅缩短到 510字,语气也和缓了许多。至于昨晚发表的第三篇文章就更短了,只有368字,而语气竟十分地恭顺。照这样下去,有一天谷歌就会在推特 (Twitter)上用若干个“lol”(大笑)和笑脸符来发布其彻底退出中国的消息。

 immediacyn., pl. -cies.
  1. The condition or quality of being immediate.
  2. Lack of an intervening or mediating agency; directness: the immediacy of live television coverage.
  3. Something immediate, as in importance.


all hell breaks loose INFORMAL
If all hell breaks loose, a situation suddenly becomes violent and noisy, especially with people arguing or fighting:
One policeman drew his gun and then suddenly all hell broke loose.

tweet
n.
A weak chirping sound, as of a young or small bird.
intr.v., tweet·ed, tweet·ing, tweets.
To utter a weak chirping sound.
[Imitative.]


tweeter
('tər) pronunciation

v., -tered, -ter·ing, -ters. v.intr.
  1. To walk or move unsteadily or unsurely; totter.
  2. To alternate, as between opposing attitudes or positions; vacillate.
  3. To seesaw.
v.tr.
To cause to teeter or seesaw.

n. Northeastern U.S.
  1. See seesaw (sense 1). See Regional Note at teeter-totter.
  2. A teetering motion.
[Middle English titeren, probably from Old Norse titra, to shake.]

tweeter
音節
tweet • er
発音
twíːtər
tweeterの変化形
tweeters (複数形)
[名]ツィーター:高音域再生用の小型スピーカー.

2013.6
Oxford English Dictionary breaks own rule, lists 'tweet'
Computerworld
Computerworld - Tweeting has become so popular that the Oxford English Dictionary broke one of its own rules to add 'tweet' to its lexicon this month. "Tweet" is listed as both a noun and a verb that's used in social networking. The addition of stands ...

QualityTaiwan發行的Quality Times:約半年前「幾年前章詒和《往事並不如煙》聞名全球,她並以其作為自己的預定「墓碣」(比較:美國Apple公司的:"I want to put a ding in the universe." Steve Jobs)。上月,她還受邀到新加坡談新作《伶人往事》(見「亞洲周刊」)。維基百科有她的詞條。」 之後David HSU 有一留言--今天查字典才知道它們同義: �       

I want to put a ding in the universe. 另一個說法是We're here to put a dent in the universe.; 我覺得後者更像 Steve Jobs 的口氣! -- DHSU (2007-01-21 09:27:58) �       

ding 和dent 是同義詞slang -- @id:demingtw2 (2007-01-31 05:30:05) ding ━━ v. じゃんじゃん鳴る[鳴らす]; やいやい[くどく]言う.
━━ n. (鐘などの)ごーん[じゃーん]という音.
ding-a-ling 〔米俗〕 愚か者.
ding・bat 〔米俗〕 頭のおかしい奴; 〔米話〕 【コンピュータ】飾り活字 ((段落の始めの星印など)).
ding-dong ━━ n., ad., a. じゃんじゃん, からんからん ((鐘の音)); 激論; どしどし, じゃんじゃん; (競争などが)しのぎを削る, 接戦の. leave one's mark 永久に足跡(そくせき)を残す ((on)).


ding1 v., dinged, ding�ing, dings.
v.intr. To ring; clang. To speak persistently and repetitiously. v.tr. To cause to clang, as by striking. To instill with constant repetition: dinged advice into my head.

n. A ringing sound. [Partly imitative and partly alteration of DIN.]
ding2 n. Informal. A small dent or nick, as in the body of a car. tr.v., dinged, ding�ing, dings. To dent or nick. To hit or strike: was dinged on the head by a ball.
Slang. To shoot, especially with a gun. [From ding, to strike, beat on, pound (from Middle English dingen; akin to Old Norse dengja) and from DING1.]

hula dancing/ girls, murdrum, Dad dancing,

 Also catching on: “Dad dancing,” which is defined as “awkward, unfashionable, or unrestrained style of dancing to pop music, as characteristically performed by middle-aged or older men.”

Spotlight:
Do they still dance the hula in Hawaii? What would a trip to Hawaii be without the hula dancing? The Polynesians who originally settled in Hawaii developed the undulating movements to illustrate stories that were sung or chanted. Hawaiian traditions, history, myths and prayers were passed on through the generations by way of the hula dances. Missionaries who arrived in the early 19th century tried to suppress the dance, denouncing the movements as heathen, but there was a resurgence of the traditional arts, including the hula, under Hawaii's last elected king, David Kalākaua. Since 1964, thousands have participated in an annual week-long event called the Merrie Monarch Festival, honoring King David Kalākaua. One of the highlights of the week is the Miss Aloha Hula competition, the world's largest hula contest. The festival begins today on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Quote:
"Hey, what is this place? Palm trees, hula girls, pineapples, hula girls, surfboards, hula girls, hula girls, hula girls! Of course, it all adds up, I've somehow landed in Norway." Freakazoid!
Word of the Day:
murdrum (MUR-drum)

noun
1. The killing of a human being in a secret manner.
2. The fine payable to the king by the hundred where such a killing occurred, unless the killer was produced or the victim proved to be a Saxon.

Etymology
From Medieval Latin, from Old French, murdre, murder.

Usage
"[F]or the unsolved murders of Frenchmen, they inflicted a particularly punitive version of the long-lasting murdrum fine ..." — Saint George for England. Rebecca Colman, Saint George for England, Contemporary Review, Apr 1997. Did you notice that today's word is a palindrome? Two other palindromic words have made the AWAD list so far: minim and Nauruan. -Anu