gamely

Reader's Digest 6月号の記事、Boy on a Bike、Rwandaなど戦争で荒廃したアフリカの国々で自転車を組み立てる活動をしているBike Town AfricaのJean-Paul氏と自転車組立ての手伝いをしている少年との話です。
Asking a child (or even an adult) to assemble bikes all day without riding one is tantamound to torture. So, at around 5pm, I take him outside with a bike I know to be assembled properly and gesture for him to get on and have a spin. The gestures don't work, so I ask a translator to tell him to go for a ride. His eyes grow solemn at the news, and although the bike is built for someone half as tall as he is, he gamely throws a leg over and wobbles down an alley and around the corner.
"gamely" の意味を辞書で調べます。
・Collins English Dictionary: in a brave or sporting manner: As her physical education instructor looks on, she wields a sword and gamely repulses the "attack" of her bigger opponents.
・Vocabulary.com: in a plucky manner: “he was seen by a shepherd, gamely negotiating a particularly tricky section of the mountain road to San Doloroso”
・Cambridge English Dictionary (game): willing to do things that are new, risky or difficult: "I'll look after the baby," he said gamely (= bravely).
となると、形容詞は "game" で、 "game" に "gamely" に対応する意味があるかも確認します。
・Cambridge English Dictionary (game): willing to do things that are new, risky or difficult: It was a difficult challenge, but Roberta was game.: She's game for anything.
・Macmillan Dictionary: prepared to join in with or to try a new, difficult, or dangerous activity: He's such fun ? always game for anything.
Online Etymology Dictionaryに "game" のこの様な意味は闘鶏の意味から来たと次ぎのような説明がありました。
"brave, spirited," 1725, especially in game-cock "bird for fighting," from game (n.). Middle English had gamesome (adj.) "joyful, playful, sportive."
追記、先週の腹痛は厄介な病気の発見につながりました。医者に、直すには手術しかないと言われ、後でインターネットで確認したところ確かにその様なのと、直るまでは卓球やテニスができないのが私にとって重大な問題なので、早急に手術をしてもらう事にしましたが、病院の都合で入院手術は来週の火曜日と決まりました。切腹は初体験なので一度位は経験するのも悪くないなと思うことにします。