The Gift of the Magi — Idioms & Expressions

慣用句

beggar description

字義: 描写を貧しくする

意味: 言葉では言い表せないほどひどい

It did not exactly beggar description, but it certainly had that word on the lookout for the mendicancy squad.

シェイクスピア由来の慣用句

慣用句

doesn't go far

字義: 遠くへ行かない

意味: （お金が）足りない、すぐになくなる

Twenty dollars a week doesn't go far.

お金の不足を距離の比喩で表現

慣用句

pluck at his beard

字義: 髭を引っ張る

意味: 悔しがる、嫉妬のしぐさをする

Had King Solomon been the janitor, with all his treasures piled up in the basement, Jim would have pulled out his watch every time he passed, just to see him pluck at his beard from envy.

羨望や苛立ちを表す身体的動作

慣用句

did it up

字義: それを上へした

意味: 髪をまとめ上げた、結い上げた

And then she did it up again nervously and quickly.

do up = まとめる、結ぶ（髪について）

慣用句

collected herself

字義: 自分自身を集めた

意味: 気持ちを落ち着かせた、平静を取り戻した

One flight up Della ran, and collected herself, panting.

感情や動揺を抑えて冷静になることを表す慣用表現

慣用句

hashed metaphor

字義: 細かく刻まれた比喩

意味: 使い古された（混乱した）比喩

Forget the hashed metaphor.

作者自身が前文の比喩表現について自己言及している

慣用句

turned all of them inside out

字義: それらすべてを裏返しにした

意味: すべての店を徹底的に探した

There was no other like it in any of the stores, and she had turned all of them inside out.

隅々まで探すことを表す慣用表現

慣用句

on the sly

字義: ずる賢く

意味: こっそりと、人目を忍んで

Grand as the watch was, he sometimes looked at it on the sly on account of the old leather strap that he used in place of a chain.

秘密裏に行うことを表す慣用表現

慣用句

gave way to

字義: 道を譲った

意味: 〜に取って代わられた、〜に変わった

When Della reached home her intoxication gave way a little to prudence and reason.

一つの状態が別の状態に置き換わることを表す

慣用句

kill me

字義: 私を殺す

意味: ひどく怒る、ショックを受ける

If Jim doesn't kill me, she said to herself, before he takes a second look at me, he'll say I look like a Coney Island chorus girl.

大げさな表現で強い感情的反応を示す慣用句

慣用句

turned white

字義: 白くなった

意味: （恐怖や不安で）顔が青ざめた

Then she heard his step on the stair away down on the first flight, and she turned white for just a moment.

感情による顔色の変化を表す慣用表現

慣用句

went for him

字義: 彼に向かって攻撃した

意味: 彼のところへ駆け寄った

Della wriggled off the table and went for him.

文脈により「向かう」という中立的な意味

慣用句

you had me going

字義: あなたが私を行かせた

意味: あなたが私を困惑させた／動揺させた

But if you'll unwrap that package you may see why you had me going a while at first.

have someone going = 誰かを混乱させる、騙す

慣用句

a last word to the wise

字義: 賢者への最後の言葉

意味: 賢明な人々への最後の助言

But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest.

"a word to the wise"（賢者には一言で十分）という慣用句の変形

慣用句

at last

意味: finally

She found it at last.

慣用句

at length

意味: after a long time; in detail

But she hugged them to her bosom, and at length she was able to look up with dim eyes and a smile and say: “My hair grows so fast, Jim!” And then Della leaped up like a little singed cat and cried, “Oh, oh!” Jim had not yet seen his beautiful present.

慣用句

no doubt

意味: certainly

Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication.

比喩

bulldozing

字義: ブルドーザーで押しつぶす

意味: 強引に値切る、しつこく交渉する

Pennies saved one and two at a time by bulldozing the grocer and the vegetable man and the butcher until one's cheeks burned with the silent imputation of parsimony that such close dealing implied.

物理的な力ではなく、交渉における心理的圧力を表す比喩

比喩

cheeks burned

字義: 頬が燃える

意味: 恥ずかしさで顔が赤くなる

Pennies saved one and two at a time by bulldozing the grocer and the vegetable man and the butcher until one's cheeks burned with the silent imputation of parsimony that such close dealing implied.

恥や羞恥心による身体的反応の比喩

比喩

subsiding from the first stage to the second

字義: 第一段階から第二段階へ沈静化する

意味: 泣くこと（嗚咽）から鼻をすすること（sniffles）へ落ち着いていく

While the mistress of the home is gradually subsiding from the first stage to the second, take a look at the home.

前文の「sobs, sniffles, and smiles」を段階として表現

比喩

had that word on the lookout for the mendicancy squad

字義: その言葉が物乞い取締隊を見張っていた

意味: その表現（beggar description）に近い状態だった、つまり非常にみすぼらしかった

It did not exactly beggar description, but it certainly had that word on the lookout for the mendicancy squad.

O. Henry特有の機知に富んだ言葉遊び

比喩

flung to the breeze

字義: そよ風に投げられた

意味: （使わなくなって）捨てられた、省略された

The 'Dillingham' had been flung to the breeze during a former period of prosperity when its possessor was being paid $30 per week.

風に乗せて飛ばす＝放棄する、という比喩

比喩

sterling

字義: スターリング銀の

意味: 本物の、優れた、価値のある

Something fine and rare and sterling—something just a little bit near to being worthy of the honor of being owned by Jim.

貴金属から転じた品質を表す比喩

比喩

depreciate Her Majesty's jewels

字義: 女王陛下の宝石を減価させる

意味: 女王の宝石を色あせさせる、価値が低く見えるようにする

Had the queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels and gifts.

経済用語を比喩的に使用

比喩

cascade of brown waters

字義: 茶色い水の滝

意味: （髪が）滝のように流れ落ちる様子

So now Della's beautiful hair fell about her rippling and shining like a cascade of brown waters.

明示的な直喩だが、cascadeとwatersの組み合わせが比喩的

比喩

fluttered out

字義: 羽ばたいて出た

意味: 急いで軽やかに出ていった

With a whirl of skirts and with the brilliant sparkle still in her eyes, she fluttered out the door and down the stairs to the street.

鳥や蝶の動きに人の動作をなぞらえた比喩

比喩

the brown cascade

字義: 茶色の滝

意味: 髪の毛が滝のように流れ落ちる様子

Down rippled the brown cascade.

髪を滝に例えた詩的表現

比喩

tripped by on rosy wings

字義: バラ色の翼に乗って軽やかに通り過ぎた

意味: 幸せな気分であっという間に時間が過ぎた

Oh, and the next two hours tripped by on rosy wings.

時間の経過を擬人化した詩的表現

比喩

intoxication

字義: 酩酊、中毒

意味: 興奮状態、夢中になっている状態

When Della reached home her intoxication gave way a little to prudence and reason.

酔った状態を喜びの感情に例えた比喩

比喩

the ravages made by

字義: 〜によって作られた破壊・損害

意味: 〜によって生じた損傷（髪を切ったこと）

She got out her curling irons and lighted the gas and went to work repairing the ravages made by generosity added to love.

ravagesは通常、戦争や災害による破壊を指すが、ここでは髪を切った結果を大げさに表現

比喩

as immovable as a setter at the scent of quail

字義: 猟犬のように完全に動かない

意味: 突然立ち止まり、完全に固まってしまった様子

Jim stopped inside the door, as immovable as a setter at the scent of quail.

setter（セッター犬）が獲物の匂いを嗅ぐと静止する習性を利用した比喩

比喩

out of his trance

字義: 催眠状態から

意味: 呆然とした状態から我に返る

Out of his trance Jim seemed quickly to wake.

tranceは催眠・恍惚状態を指すが、ここでは驚きによる放心状態の比喩

比喩

dark assertion will be illuminated

字義: 暗い主張が照らされる

意味: この難解な発言の意味が後で明らかになる

This dark assertion will be illuminated later on.

dark=不明瞭、illuminate=明らかにする、という比喩的用法

比喩

the lord of the flat

字義: アパートの主人／領主

意味: 夫（Jimのこと）

And then an ecstatic scream of joy; and then, alas! a quick feminine change to hysterical tears and wails, necessitating the immediate employment of all the comforting powers of the lord of the flat.

lordという大げさな表現による皮肉的・ユーモラスな比喩

比喩

like a little singed cat

字義: 焦げた小さな猫のように

意味: 驚いて飛び上がる様子（突然思い出して慌てる）

And then Della leaped up like a little singed cat and cried, "Oh, oh!"

直喩形式だが、singed cat（焦げた猫）という表現自体が慣用的比喩

比喩

flash with a reflection of her bright and ardent spirit

字義: 彼女の明るく熱烈な精神の反射で光る

意味: 彼女の情熱が金属に映し出されているように見えた

The dull precious metal seemed to flash with a reflection of her bright and ardent spirit.

物理的な反射と精神的な輝きを重ねた比喩

比喩

lamely related

字義: 足を引きずって語った

意味: 不十分に、下手に語った（謙遜表現）

And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house.

lamelyは「不完全に」という比喩的用法

古風な表現

instigates the moral reflection

字義: 道徳的な反省を扇動する

意味: （このことから）教訓的な考察が引き出される

Which instigates the moral reflection that life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles, with sniffles predominating.

19世紀文学特有の婉曲的な語法

古風な表現

appertaining thereunto

字義: そこに付属している

意味: それに関連して（そこに）あった

Also appertaining thereunto was a card bearing the name 'Mr. James Dillingham Young.'

19世紀の法律文書風の古風な表現

古風な表現

Many a

字義: 多くの一つ

意味: 多くの（時間を）

Many a happy hour she had spent planning for something nice for him.

「many a + 単数名詞」は古風な表現で「many + 複数名詞」と同義

古風な表現

obtain a fairly accurate conception of his looks

字義: 自分の外見についてかなり正確な概念を得る

意味: 自分の姿をかなり正確に見ることができる

A very thin and very agile person may, by observing his reflection in a rapid sequence of longitudinal strips, obtain a fairly accurate conception of his looks.

19世紀的な迂遠な表現、現代なら単に「see himself fairly accurately」

古風な表現

Had the queen of Sheba lived

字義: シバの女王が住んでいた（過去形）

意味: もしシバの女王が住んでいたら（仮定法）

Had the queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels and gifts.

倒置による仮定法過去完了（If the queen had lived の倒置形）

古風な表現

Had King Solomon been

字義: ソロモン王がいた（過去形）

意味: もしソロモン王が管理人だったら（仮定法）

Had King Solomon been the janitor, with all his treasures piled up in the basement, Jim would have pulled out his watch every time he passed, just to see him pluck at his beard from envy.

倒置による仮定法過去完了

古風な表現

as all good things should do

字義: すべての良いものがすべきであるように

意味: 本当に価値のあるものはそうあるべきだ

It was a platinum fob chain simple and chaste in design, properly proclaiming its value by substance alone and not by meretricious ornamentation—as all good things should do.

やや古風な教訓的表現

古風な表現

dear friends

字義: 親愛なる友人たち

意味: 読者への呼びかけ

Which is always a tremendous task, dear friends—a mammoth task.

19世紀文学特有の語り手が読者に直接語りかける古風な表現

古風な表現

the hairs of my head were numbered

字義: 髪の毛が数えられた

意味: 髪の毛には限りがあった（聖書的表現）

Maybe the hairs of my head were numbered,

聖書（マタイ10:30）からの引用・暗示

古風な表現

let us regard with discreet scrutiny some inconsequential object in the other direction

字義: 慎重な観察で別の方向の重要でない物を見よう

意味: 二人のプライベートな瞬間から目をそらそう（語り手の婉曲表現）

For ten seconds let us regard with discreet scrutiny some inconsequential object in the other direction.

19世紀文学特有の婉曲的・修辞的表現

古風な表現

at length

字義: 長さにおいて

意味: ついに、やっと、しばらくして

But she hugged them to her bosom, and at length she was able to look up with dim eyes and a smile and say: "My hair grows so fast, Jim!"

古風な時間表現

古風な表現

a dandy

字義: おしゃれな男性

意味: 素晴らしいもの、一級品

Isn't it a dandy, Jim?

20世紀初頭の口語表現で「素晴らしい」の意味

古風な表現

just at present

字義: ちょうど現在のところ

意味: 今のところは、当面は

They're too nice to use just at present.

やや古風な時間表現

古風な表現

bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication

字義: 重複の場合の交換の特権を持っている

意味: 同じものが重なった場合は交換できる権利付き（皮肉的表現）

Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication.

19世紀的な格式ばった言い回しによるユーモア

連語

flop down

字義: バタンと落ちる

意味: ドサッと座り込む、力なく倒れ込む

There was clearly nothing to do but flop down on the shabby little couch and howl.

疲労や落胆を表す身体動作

連語

contracting to

字義: 契約する

意味: （名前を）短縮する、縮める

Now, when the income was shrunk to $20, though, they were thinking seriously of contracting to a modest and unassuming D.

contract（縮小する）の特殊な用法

連語

mastered the art

字義: その芸術を習得した

意味: その技術（細切れの鏡で自分を見る方法）をマスターした

Della, being slender, had mastered the art.

日常的技能を「芸術」と呼ぶユーモラスな表現

連語

took a mighty pride

字義: 強大な誇りを取った

意味: 非常に誇りに思っていた

Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride.

「take pride in」の強調形

連語

have a sight at

字義: それの視界を持つ

意味: じっくり見る、よく見てみる

Take yer hat off and let's have a sight at the looks of it.

口語的で古風な表現

連語

ransacking

字義: 略奪する、荒らし回る

意味: 徹底的に探し回る

She was ransacking the stores for Jim's present.

本来は略奪の意味だが、ここでは熱心に探す意味で使われている

連語

worthy of

字義: 〜の価値がある

意味: 〜にふさわしい

It was even worthy of The Watch.

やや格式ばった表現

連語

truant schoolboy

字義: 怠けている男子生徒

意味: 学校をサボっているいたずらっぽい少年

Within forty minutes her head was covered with tiny, close-lying curls that made her look wonderfully like a truant schoolboy.

truantは学校をサボることを意味する古風な表現

連語

doubled the fob chain

字義: 鎖を二倍にした

意味: 鎖を二つ折りにした

Della doubled the fob chain in her hand and sat on the corner of the table near the door that he always entered.

連語

tumbled down

字義: 転がり落ちた

意味: どさっと座り込んだ、くずれるように座った

Instead of obeying, Jim tumbled down on the couch and put his hands under the back of his head and smiled.

tumble downは通常「崩壊する」だが、ここでは「力なく座る」様子

連語

uneventful chronicle

字義: 事件のない年代記

意味: 平凡な物語（皮肉的表現、実際は感動的な物語）

And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house.

作者の謙遜または皮肉