クルキだべ！さんの おぼえた日記 - 2013年4月21日(日)

☆猫も杓子も　☆無用の長物　☆年相応に　☆チャンスを逃す

　BBC　Learning English Crossword

1.”the writing is on the (　　)”; when we want to say that something bad is going to happen to something or someone and there isn't much you can do about it.

2. When you say ”someone or something can't cut the (　　)” you mean that it's not good enough.

3. “over the (　　)“ ; extremely pleased and happy.

4. If you want to talk about lots of unspecified people you can use the phrase “every Tom, Dick and (　　) ”.

5. “a white (　　)” ; something which is large, costs a lot of money to keep and has no useful purpose.

6. “take something with a (　　) of salt ” ; If you take something with a pinch of salt, it means you don't completely believe it.

7. Something that's not complicated or difficult to understand – “it's not (　　) science ”.

8. If someone thinks you're being childish, immature, too young for your age, they can tell you to act your age, not your (　　) size.

9. If something goes down a (　　) it means it's massively successful and enjoyable.

10. “to miss the (　　)” ; we mean that we are too late to take advantage of a good opportunity.


1. wall : the writing is on the wall　不吉な前兆、 失敗・災害の前兆
2. mustard : can't cut the mustard 　期待に応えられない
3. moon : be over the moon 大喜びしている[ be on cloud nine]　
4. Harry : every Tom, Dick and Harry 　猫も杓子も、[ everybodey and his brother ]
5. elephant : a white elephant　無用の長物 [ a useless object, deadwood ]
6. pinch: take ~ with a pinch [grain] of salt　疑ってかかる、うのみにしない、話半分に聞く
　　　　　　　　　　※ 鵜呑みにする　swallow ～(hook, line and sinker)　
7. rocket : not rocket science 　難しいことではない
8. shoe : Act your age, not your shoe size.　幼稚なことはやめて年相応に振舞って。
9. storm: go down a storm　大いに盛り上がる
10. boat : miss the boat 　好機を逸す、チャンスを逃す


1. the writing is on the wall　不吉な前兆、 失敗・災害の前兆

お前、態度改めないと首になるよ。嫌な予感しないの？
If you don't improve your performance, they'll fire you. Can't you see the writing on the wall?

2. can't (don't) cut the mustard 　期待に応えられない、要求される基準を満たすことができない

そんなんじゃ、まだまだ駄目だよ。
That doesn't cut the mustard.

彼が期待に応えてくれるとは思わないね。
I don't think he can cut the mustard.

3.be over the moon 　大喜びしている[ be on cloud nine]　

容疑者が逮捕されて、市民は大喜びしています。
They’re over the moon since the suspect was arrested.

ウィリーはニューヨークへの転勤が決まって有頂天です。
Willy is on cloud nine about his transfer to New York. :

上出来の結果に大喜びさ。
I am over the moon that it was a successful outcome.

4. every Tom, Dick and Harry 　猫も杓子も、普通の人、誰も彼も

シー！声を落として！ 僕たちの話、誰にも聞かれたくないんだ。
Shhhhh! Lower your voice! We don't want every Tom, Dick and Harry to hear us.

ゴールデンウィークは、誰も彼も海外旅行に行くね。
Every Tom, Dick, and Harry travels abroad during Golden Week holidays.

5.a white elephant　無用の長物 [ a useless object, deadwood ]

そのホールは大金をかけてつくったのに、いつも人が入らず、無用の長物です。
That hall is a white elephant; it cost millions, but is always empty.

新空港は宝の持ち腐れになるな。滑走路が４つ、最新のテクノロジーが用いられているけど、この地域を訪れる人はそんなに多くないんだ。
The new airport is a white elephant! It's got four runways and it's equipped with the latest technology, but not many people visit this region.

6.take ~ with a pinch [grain] of salt　　【直訳】一粒の塩を加えて食べる　⇒　完全には信じない、疑ってかかる、うのみにしない、話半分に聞く、眉につばを付けて聞く、

この間、彼は23カ国語を流暢に話すって言ってたよ。
彼の言うことは眉唾よ。彼は大ボラを吹くのが好きなの。
The other day he told me he speaks 23 languages fluently.
I take everything he says with a pinch of salt because I know he likes to exaggerate.

あなたの言うことなすことって、本当にうそばっかりね。
I really do have to take what you say and do with a pinch of salt.

7.not rocket science 　難しいことではない

これ、スイッチはどう入れるの？
簡単だよ。リモコンの「入」を押すだけ。
How do I switch this thing on?
It's not rocket science. Just press 'on' on the handset.

このスープは、どうやって作るんだい？
ほら、ロブ。何も難しくないわ。ただ、缶詰を開けて温めればいいだけよ。
How do I cook this soup?
Come on Rob, it's not rocket science, all you have to do is open the tin and heat it up.

8.Act your age, not your shoe size　幼稚なことはやめて年相応にして、振舞って

あったま、きた。彼女、私に幼稚なことしないで年相応に振る舞えって言ったのよ。
I was really upset. She just told me to act my age not my shoe size!

あの人たちはとても子供っぽいな。幼稚なことをしないで、年相応にする必要があるな。
These people are so childish. They need to act their age not their shoe size.

（背後で笑い声）そんな子供じみたことはしないで年相応に振る舞っていただけますか。
(Laughing in background)　 Will you please act your age not your shoe size?!

9.go down a storm　大いに盛り上がる

昨夜の新バンドは見るべきだったわね。観客と一体になってすごく盛り上がったの。
You should have seen the new band last night. They went down a storm with the audience.

私はこの新しい玩具の形が気に入ってるの。きっと、お客さんに受けるわ。
I like the looks of this new toy. I'm sure it'll go down a storm with our customers.

10.miss the boat 　好機を逸す、チャンスを逃す

チャンスを逃しちゃったみたい。
I can't help feeling I missed the boat!

去年、新しいアパートを買っていなかったら、好機を逸したでしょうね。今、不動産もっと高くなっているから。
If I hadn't bought a new flat last year I would have missed the boat. Properties are more expensive now.

若いときに世界を旅しておくべきだったなあ。今じゃ、家族の面倒見なきゃならないし。もうチャンスはないかも知れないなあ。
I should have travelled the world when I was young. Now I have a family to take care of. I might have missed the boat.