Miyuki MiyabeのAll She Was Worthを読んでいます。
These small bars tended to be on the quiet side. No Karaoke system like Bacchus had. Not much money spent on fixtures and fittings like there would be in a bigger place. Not likely to attract walk-in customers, more of a roost for mid-level white-collar workers--and not the better-paid ones at that. A place to keep a bottle of Scotch on the sly. Even now, when there were four customers in the bar, all four of them were drinking alone. Still, it was comfortable enough.
Probably that was why it had managed to stay in business for ten years.
"on the sly" も初めて見る慣用句ではありませんが、"sly" の「狡猾な」の意味だけが頭に浮かび "on the sly" の意味を思い出せないので辞書を引きます。
・Oxford English Dictionary: In a secretive fashion.: she was drinking on the sly
・Collins Dictionary: To do something on the sly means to do it secretly, often because it is wrong or bad.: Was she meeting some guy on the sly?
・Cambridge English Dictionary: If you do something on the sly, you do it secretly because you should not be doing it: He drives his mother's car on the sly while she's at work.
"on the sly" の意味を思い出しましたが、"sly" に元々「狡猾な」だけではなく「秘密の」の様な意味があるに違いない。辞書で "sly" を確認します。
・Oxford English Dictionary: (of a remark, glance, or facial expression) showing in an insinuating way that one has some secret knowledge that may be harmful or embarrassing.
・Collins Dictionary: If you describe someone as sly, you disapprove of them because they keep their feelings or intentions hidden and are clever at deceiving people.: She is devious and sly and manipulative.
・Cambridge English Dictionary: seeming to know secrets: "You'll find out eventually," said Mary, with a sly smile.
なるほど、 "sly" を単に「狡猾な」と覚えていましたが、秘密や隠し事などを知った上での態度、振る舞いをするから狡猾なのですね。
記憶にないとか知りませんと言い逃れる政治家や政府の高官を連想すると良いかも？
These small bars tended to be on the quiet side. No Karaoke system like Bacchus had. Not much money spent on fixtures and fittings like there would be in a bigger place. Not likely to attract walk-in customers, more of a roost for mid-level white-collar workers--and not the better-paid ones at that. A place to keep a bottle of Scotch on the sly. Even now, when there were four customers in the bar, all four of them were drinking alone. Still, it was comfortable enough.
Probably that was why it had managed to stay in business for ten years.
"on the sly" も初めて見る慣用句ではありませんが、"sly" の「狡猾な」の意味だけが頭に浮かび "on the sly" の意味を思い出せないので辞書を引きます。
・Oxford English Dictionary: In a secretive fashion.: she was drinking on the sly
・Collins Dictionary: To do something on the sly means to do it secretly, often because it is wrong or bad.: Was she meeting some guy on the sly?
・Cambridge English Dictionary: If you do something on the sly, you do it secretly because you should not be doing it: He drives his mother's car on the sly while she's at work.
"on the sly" の意味を思い出しましたが、"sly" に元々「狡猾な」だけではなく「秘密の」の様な意味があるに違いない。辞書で "sly" を確認します。
・Oxford English Dictionary: (of a remark, glance, or facial expression) showing in an insinuating way that one has some secret knowledge that may be harmful or embarrassing.
・Collins Dictionary: If you describe someone as sly, you disapprove of them because they keep their feelings or intentions hidden and are clever at deceiving people.: She is devious and sly and manipulative.
・Cambridge English Dictionary: seeming to know secrets: "You'll find out eventually," said Mary, with a sly smile.
なるほど、 "sly" を単に「狡猾な」と覚えていましたが、秘密や隠し事などを知った上での態度、振る舞いをするから狡猾なのですね。
記憶にないとか知りませんと言い逃れる政治家や政府の高官を連想すると良いかも？
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