nettle [nétl] (12) nC いらくさ(棘に触れると腫れて痛む)、vt informal [しばしば受身] いらだたせる
grasp the nettle 《英》困難に敢然と立ち向かう
語源 (Merriam-Webster)
Did You Know?
If you've ever brushed against nettles, you know those weeds have sharp bristles that can leave you smarting and itching. The painful and irritating rash that nettles cause can last for days, but at least it is a rash with a linguistic silver lining. The discomfort caused by nettles can serve to remind one that the verb "nettle" is a synonym of "irritate." "Nettle" originated as a plant name that we can trace to the Old English word netel. Eventually, people likened the nagging itch caused by the plant to the nagging aggravation of being annoyed, and "nettle" became a synonym of "vex," "peeve," and of course "irritate."
古英語 netel「いらくさ」
「いらくさのとげによるしつこい痛痒さ」が「いらいらさせられるしつこい腹立たしさ」に結びついた
意味 (Oxford Advanced Learner's noun, verb)
noun (also stinging nettle) a wild plant with leaves that have pointed edges, are covered in fine hairs and sting if you touch them
The butterflies lay their eggs on nettles.
The nettles had spread and now covered half the garden.
There was an old car half buried in the nettles.
「野生の植物で、葉の周りがぎざぎざして細かい毛で蔽われていて、触ると刺さる」
grasp the nettle (British English) to deal with a difficult situation firmly and without hesitating
The government now has the opportunity to grasp the nettle of prison reform.
「困難な状況にためらわずに断固立ち向かう」
verb [usually passive] nettle somebody | it nettles somebody that… (informal, especially British English) to make somebody slightly angry
My remarks clearly nettled her.
「(通常受身)人を少し怒らせる」
例文 (名詞３文はLongman、動詞は各文章の後に表記)
▪ She felt a mild nettle sting.
▪ He told me he was fifteen, and showed me his stings from nettles.
▪ Her ankles and shins were scratched and bloodied, her stockings shredded by the trackside weeds and nettles.
多くの辞書に動詞 は、通常受動態で用いられると書いてありますが、能動態の例文も多い。
▪ She was nettled by Holman's remark.
▪ The topic of a Midwestern identity has nettled writers for decades. (Longman)
He was nettled by her manner... (Collins COBUILD)
•The mayor's recent actions have nettled some members of the community.
•It nettles him that his younger coworker got a promotion before he did. (Merriam-Webster)
類義語
「いらだたせる」は、「おこらせる」「困らせる」「悩ます」等、不快感を起こさせる単語一般に繋がってちょっとごちゃごちゃですが、次回から紹介していきます