maul

秋田県鹿角市の山林で２２日、男性が死亡しているのが発見されました。遺体には動物に引っかかれたような傷があり、クマに襲われたとみて調べられています。この地区では２１日にも同じような遺体が見つかっており、今回で２件目の被害となってしまいました。

Two men killed in apparent bear attacks in Akita

AKITA — Two men have been killed in apparent bear attacks over the weekend in the same area of a forest region in Kazuno, Akita Prefecture.

According to police, the body of Noboru Takahashi, 78, was found at around 1 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. Fuji TV quoted police as saying he had bite and scratch marks on his body consistent with a bear attack.

Takahashi and his wife had gone picking bamboo shoots in the forest on Sunday morning. His wife said they had been blowing whistles to scare away bears. However, they were approached by a bear and Noboru yelled at her to run away, after which his whereabouts became unknown. Police believe the bear mauled the man and dragged him away.

The area is known as a bear habitat, even though many locals frequently visit it to pick bamboo shoots.

In another apparent bear attack in the same area, police found the body of an elderly man on Saturday. His body also had bite and scratch marks.

http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/two-men-killed-in-apparent-bear-attacks-in-akita

今回取り上げる表現は、“maul”です。『ウィズダム英和辞典』(第３版、三省堂)を引いたところ、１.「〈動物が〉〈人〉を切り裂く、〈人〉に大けがを負わせる」２.「…を酷評する」３.「…を手荒[乱暴]に扱う」とありました。今回の記事では１の意味で用いられています。

Macmillan Dictionary.comでは“if an animal mauls a person or other animal, it attacks them with its claws and teeth, usually causing serious injury”と定義されていました。『ウィズダム英和辞典』にもあったように、軽い傷ではなく、「大けがを負わせる」という意味で用いられる表現のようです。

今回の場合、「クマが男性に大けがを負わせた」という解釈になります。(Blue Sky)