To pull out all the stops means to go to any means in order to achieve something or make something successful. You use all your energy and effort and all the resources at your disposal to make something the best that it can be. You go beyond what is normally expected and do whatever you can to make something happen. It could be that you spend a lot of money to buy the best things. It could also mean that you work really hard to do everything you can and everything you can think of. You would usually do this for some special event or big occassion that you really want to be successful. This might be a personal occasion like a special birthday, anniversary, wedding, or proposal. This could also be for some business venture that is really important. You might also do this if you really wanted to impress someone such as a husband or wife (or potential husband or wife) or in-law, a boss or company VIP, or a celebrity. Bill: Wow, have you seen the budget for the new ad campaign? John: Yeah, they even hired a new advertising firm. Bill: They're really pulling out all the stops on this one. This is supposedly a phrase that was first used by organists. If you pull out all the stop levers in a pipe organ, it makes the organ produce thte maximum volume.
Out of the blue
Posted by: ShuzoNakamura Thu, 31 May 2007 15:03:11 GMT
The phrase, out of the blue, means that something happened suddenly that was totally unexpected and without warning. It could be that it just happened unexpectedly. It could also be that someone said something that was off the subject of what was being talked about or didn't have any relation to anything that anybody else was saying. I If someone does something unexpected and without any warning, you could say that he did it "out of the blue." Someone you haven't seen for a while can suddenly show up "out of the blue." John: What happened to you? I haven't seen you for a while. Dan: I was transferred to another project. John: What? I thought you were working on Project X. Dan: I was. The project manager showed up one day, out of the blue, and told me I was being reassigned to Project A. John: Well, I guess they needed a good man for the job. This expression seems to refer to it starting to rain unexpectedly, even though the sky was blue. There was no warning like gray clouds. It just happened "out of the blue." An older form of this expression is, "out of the clear blue sky," though this is not used much any more.
tumble down, roll over
Posted by: MichikoNakamura Wed, 16 May 2007 04:00:43 GMT
道ですべって、すってんころりん、転びました。
靴のかかとがツルッとすべって転びました。
小さい小石を踏んだ瞬間、くるりと身体が回転しました。
気がつくと、立っているはずの私は地面と並行になっていました。
それはそうと、転んだ時、手をつかない方がいいと言われています。
手首の骨を折る危険があるからです。
コロンと肩をついた方がいい。 階段を踏みはずしました。
「ドドドーッ」とすごい音がしました。 いやというほど腰を打ちました。
すってんころりん
みちですべって、すってんころりん、ころびました。
くつのかかとがツルッとすべってころびました。
ちいさいこいしをふんだしゅんかん、くるりとからだがかいてんしました。
きがつくと、たっているはずのわたしはじめんとへいこうになっていました。
それはそうと、ころんだとき、てをつかないほうがいいといわれています。
てくびのほねをおるきけんがあるからです。
コロンとかたをついたほうがいい。 かいだんをふみはずしました。
「ドドドーッ」とすごいおとがしました。
いやというほどこしをうちました。
tumble down, roll over
I tumbled down while walking.
The heel of my shoes rolled and I fell.
When I stepped on pebbles, my body rolled over.
When I realized what happened, I was parallel to the ground instead of standing up.
By the way, it is said that you'd better not stick your hands out to break the fall.
It is because you may break your wrist.
It is recommended to land on your shoulder, instead.
I missed a step. When I fell, there was a very loud noise.
I hit my waist pretty badly
（ハワイパシフィックプレス連載）
To give or allow someone free rein
Posted by: ShuzoNakamura Mon, 07 May 2007 05:08:58 GMT
To give or allow someone free rein
能力や人柄などを信頼され、任され、好きにやらせてもらえるということは嬉しいことです。今回は、そんな状況にまつわる表現をみてみましょう。
「To give or allow someone free rein」です。
これは、「制限なしに自由にさせる」という意味です。
この表現は、動物に対して、手に負えないから、なすがままにさせるという場合、感情に対して自分で制御できず、そのおもむくがままにといった場合に使いますが、普通、権威ある者（例えば、上司や親）が、その支配下にある者（部下や子）を認めて、好きにやらせるということであり、自由放任、好き勝手ということではありません。下の例で、ビルは上司のトムからＣプロジェクトを任されました。しかも、自分の思い通りにすればいいということです。感激したビルは、「期待を裏切るようなことはしません」と誓います。
Tom: Bill, I just wanted to let you know that I'm putting you in charge of the C project.
Bill: That's an honor, sir. How would you like me to carry it out?
Tom: Well, that's your area of expertise, so I'm giving you free rein on this one.
Bill: Thank you, sir. I won't let you down.
同じような表現として、"I leave it up to you"というのがあります。これは上の表現とは違って、例えば、上司から部下という関係だけでなく、部下から上司という関係に対しても使えます。そして、部下から上司の場合には、さらに丁寧な表現として、"I leave this matter in your hands."というのがあります。
5/7/2007
（イーストウエストジャーナル連載）
To give or allow someone free rein means to let someone do whatever they want without restrictions. It is usually done by someone who someone who has some authority over the other person but who allows them the freedom to do what they want. A boss can give free rein to an employee that he trusts to do a job the way the employee thinks it should be done. Parents can give their children free rein if they are too lenient on them and don't set boundries and limitations on them.In the same way, you can give animals free rein if you don't control them and let them do as they please. You can even give emotions free rein if you don't control them and you let them to express themselves and control you. In other words, you get angry and yell or excited and jump into things or sad and cry and then do things based on how you feel without thinking them through first.
A: B, I just wanted to let you know that I'm putting you in charge of the C project. B: That's an honor, sir. How would you like me to carry it out? A: Well, that's your area of expertise, so I'm giving you free rein on this one. B: Thank you, sir. I won't let you down.
This expression probably comes from the fact that reins are leather straps used to control horses. If you give your horse free rein, you are not controlling him and are just letting him go wherever he wants to go.
