Hot Words No.33

Antebellum

発音：

[æ̀ntibéləm]

意味：

戦前の、特にアメリカ南北戦争以前の

Existing before a war, in particular, the American Civil War

例文1：

Conditions of antebellum slavery were simply inhuman.

例文2：

Harriet Stowe’s ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’ describes the antebellum South.

Brink

発音：

[bríŋk]

意味：

淵、外縁、瀬戸際

An edge

例文1：

The company ran up a huge debt and was on the brink of default.

例文2：

The nationwide protest movement is driving the country to the brink of dissolution.

例文3：

I had lost my job and lover and was feeling quite hopeless. But the chance encounter with the street evangelist pulled me back from the brink of despair.

Crash

発音：

[krǽʃ]

意味：

車などが衝突する、コンピューターや金融市場などが不機能となる、大きな音を発する

To collide (car, plane, etc); to malfunction (PC and financial market); to make a loud noise

例文1：

He fell asleep while driving and crashed into a roadside tree.

例文2：

Just as I was getting ready to leave, the computer crashed and I had to stay another hour to have it fixed.

例文2：

It suddenly started raining heavy and I heard thunder crash outside.

Daunt

発音：

[dɔ́ːnt]

意味：

恐れさせる、自信を弱める

To make someone scared or less confident

例文1：

It’s my first day back to work after a two-week vacation. I am daunted by the cumulated work.

例文2：

The political party is daunted by the prospect of a massive election defeat.

例文3：

The new prime minister’s to-do list is long and daunting.

Effervescent

発音：

[èfərvésnt]

意味：

活き活きして喜びあふれる

Lively, happy, excited and bubbly

例文1：

Then the door swung open and this effervescent little girl skipped into the room.

例文2：

Everybody likes to be with him because of his effervescent character.

Hit

発音：

[hít]

意味：

打撃、悪い効果

A damage; a negative effect

例文1：

The Japanese economy took a major hit in the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake.

例文2：

The stock market took a hit amid the ongoing debt crisis in Europe.

Plenary

発音：

[plíːnəri]

意味：

全員出席の、全権を有する

Attended by all members; full and unlimited

例文1：

In our office, we have a plenary meeting once a month.

例文2：

The diplomat was given plenary powers to negotiate peace with the enemy forces.

Prop

発音：

[prάp]

意味：

物理的または精神的なサポート

A physical or emotional support

例文1：

When the major earthquake hit, the bookcase served as a prop to hold up the ceiling.

例文2：

She told me that she no longer needed me as a prop for her life.