shoot down
歌手のジャネット・ジャクソンさんが「家族をつくる」ことを理由に、ツアーを中止することを発表しました。
Could Janet Jackson be incubating a new generation of the Jackson 5?
Jackson announced she is halting the second leg of her "Unbreakable" world tour for the second time on doctor's orders.
In late December, she attributed a tour delay to her need to recover from an unspecified surgery.
This time, the singer is giving a little more detail.
"I thought it was important that you be the first to know. My husband and I are planning our family, so I'm going to have to delay the tour," she told fans in a video released on Twitter on Wednesday. "Please, if you can try and understand that it's important that I do this now. I have to rest up, doctor's orders. But I have not forgotten about you. I will continue the tour as soon as I possibly can."
No word on whether Jackson, 49, and her husband, 41-year-old Qatari billionaire Wissam Al Mana, are looking to build their family the old-fashioned way or through other means.
The singer's representatives had no further comment.
In January, Jackson shot down rumors that she was battling cancer after postponing several tour dates.
"The rumors are untrue. I do not have cancer. I am recovering," Jackson said in a video message.
In the latest video, Jackson thanked her band, dancers, crew and fans.
"I can't wait for us to get started again," she said.
30 years later, Janet Jackson is still in 'Control'
今回取り上げる表現はshoot downです。
Oxford Dictionariesでは”An act or instance of bringing down an aircraft by shooting at it”と定義されております。しかし、今回の場合、撃ち落してしまっては意味がとおりません。
『ジーニアス英和辞典』（第５版、大修館書店）を引くと、「1.（飛行機など）を撃ち落す；（人など）を（冷酷）に撃ち殺す 2.（人・証拠など）を論破する、（人）をやり込める 3.…を終了させる、打ち負かす；（望みなど）を絶つ 4.（提案など）を完全に拒絶する」とありました。
「がんになったという噂は嘘である」と言っていることから、「打ち消す，否定する」の意味で使われているのがわかります。“うわさ”という的を撃ち落すことで、否定している様子が想像できます。
(flyingbird)
