broach

今日はJohn Grishamの短編小説集Ford Countyの中のCasinoを読んでいます。
以下に抜粋する箇所に元同時通訳者の村松増美氏からに十数年前教えてもらった単語 "broach" が次の様に出てきました。
After four months, the Lucky Jack had settled nicely into the local scene. All opposition to it faded; the casino was obviously not going away. It became a popular meeting place for civic clubs, class reunions, bachelor parties, even a few weddings. Chief Larry began planning the construction of a Yazoo headquarters, and he was thrilled to see his tribe growing. Folks who'd been quite resistant to the suggestion of Indian ancestry now proudly claimed to be full-blooded Yazoo. Most wanted jobs, and when Chief broached the idea of sharing the profits in the form of monthly handouts, his tribe ballooned to over one hundred members.
村松氏は初対面の人との話のきっかけになる様に目立つネクタイを着けることがあると仰っていました。その話を聞いた一年程後に、米国のある著名な女性（忘れたので著名と言うのも可笑しいのですが、確か政治家だった気がしますが定かではありません）がやはり同じ様に、初対面の人との話の糸口になるようなブローチ(brooch)を着けると言っていた（多分何かの書き物で読んだ、が正しい）のを知り、思わず「座布団一枚」と心の中で叫びました。 "broach" のおさらいをしておきます。
・Oxford English Dictionary: Raise (a sensitive or difficult subject) for discussion: he broached the subject he had been avoiding all evening
・Vocabulary.com: As a verb, broach means to bring up or introduce a sensitive issue. As a noun, a broach is one of those dowdy pins your Great Aunt Edna wears. Telling her not to wear it is a subject you should probably not broach.
Let's say you want to go on vacation with a friend and you ask your dad because he is more likely to say yes. He will probably tell you that he will broach the subject with your mom and let you know. In a less common (and older) usage of broach, if you put a hole in something in order to get out what's inside you broach it. The piercing tool you use is also called a broach. Think of piercing someone with your idea the next time you broach a touchy issue.
酒樽やワインを開けることも "broach" と言えるそうです。ネクタイもブローチも着けない私は、お酒の方なら喜んで実践できそう。