thwart 復習
トランプ大統領は民主党上院議員のジョン・テスター氏の辞職を求めました。
WASHINGTON — President Trump on Saturday called for the resignation of Senator Jon Tester, the Montana Democrat who helped thwart his effort to install the White House physician in the cabinet, suggesting that the president may try to exact retribution in the fall congressional elections in a state that he won by a wide margin.
Two days after the doctor, Ronny L. Jackson, withdrew from consideration for secretary of veterans affairs amid a flurry of reports about his conduct on the job, Mr. Trump made clear he did not intend to let the matter go. In a pair of early morning messages on Twitter, the president said the accusations raised by Mr. Tester against Dr. Jackson were fabricated.
“Allegations made by Senator Jon Tester against Admiral/Doctor Ron Jackson are proving false,” Mr. Trump wrote. “The Secret Service is unable to confirm (in fact they deny) any of the phony Democrat charges which have absolutely devastated the wonderful Jackson family. Tester should resign.”
He added: “The great people of Montana will not stand for this kind of slander when talking of a great human being. Admiral Jackson is the kind of man that those in Montana would most respect and admire, and now, for no reason whatsoever, his reputation has been shattered. Not fair, Tester!”
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/04/28/us/politics/trump-tester-jackson-va.html
thwart /θwˈɔɚt/ に注目しました。『ジーニアス英和辞典第5版』(大修館) によると、「〜に妨害する、邪魔する、阻む」といった意味があります。『ケンブリッジ英英辞典』で定義を確認してみると “to stop something from happening or someone from doing something” (良いこと悪いことは別に) 何かが起こるまた何者かによって引き起こされる事象を阻止する様を表していると窺えます。
thwart は元々古ノルド語で「横に入る、横切る」といったニュアンスを含む “thverr” が語源とされているそうです。また “thverr” が語義となる “thwert” が初め使用され、そこから “thwart” に変換されたそうです。
今年11月には中間選挙がありトランプ大統領にとって就任後初めて「国民の審判」が下るともあって対抗勢力に対しても過敏に反応していると思いました。(Happidra)
