ratchet up 復習

　米財務省は、ベネズエラの副大統領ら2人を、麻薬取引に関与していたとして、資金凍結など制裁を下すことを発表しました。

Trump sanctions Venezuela vice president on drug trafficking

The Trump administration imposed sanctions against Venezuelan Vice President Tareck El Aissami on Monday, accusing him of playing a major role in international drug trafficking.

The executive decree, the result of a years-long investigation, is bound to ratchet up tensions between the new Republican administration and the United States' harshest critic in Latin America. El Aissami is the most senior Venezuelan official to ever be targeted by the U.S.

The U.S. Treasury Department also sanctioned Samark Lopez, a wealthy Venezuelan businessman the U.S. described as El Aissami's primary front man laundering proceeds through a network of companies in several nations. As part of the action, 13 companies owned or controlled by Lopez, including five in Florida, will be blocked and both men will be barred from entering the United States. Several real estate holdings in the Miami area tied to Lopez and worth tens of millions of dollars were also blocked.

There was no immediate reaction from the Venezuelan government or El Aissami, who has long denied any criminal ties. Lopez released a statement calling the actions baseless and "politically motivated."

The U.S. Justice Department said there were no pending criminal charges against the two men.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/ap-sources-us-sanctions-venezuelas-vice-president-45468388

　記事の中で気になった"ratchet up"を取り上げます。まず、『ジーニアス英和辞典』第4版(大修館)で"ratchet"を調べてみると、「歯止め(pawl)、つめ車のつめ、改善の見込みのない状態、収まりのつきそうにないこと」とあり、動詞では「歯止めをかます、歯車のような音を出す」という意味があることが分かりました。

　なお、 "ratchet up[down]"で「(程度、調子など)を徐々に上げる[下げる]」となります。 LDOCEを見てみると、"to increase something by a small amount, especially after a series of increases, or to increase in this way"と定義されていました。(Akim)

ratchet up - 田邉祐司ゼミ 常時英心：言葉の森から
ratchet down - 田邉祐司ゼミ 常時英心：言葉の森から
ratchet up - 田邉祐司ゼミ 常時英心：言葉の森から