baleful
意味一覧 (2件)
有害な
解説 Definition
人や社会、健康などに悪い影響を及ぼすことを表す、やや硬い形容詞です。特に effects, influence, consequences などと結びつき、長期的・深刻な害をもたらす作用について使われます。
Baleful is a rather formal adjective that means causing serious harm or damage to people, health, society, or other important things. It is often used with words like effects, influence, and consequences. The word suggests harm that may be deep, lasting, or gradual, not just a small or temporary problem. In this sense, baleful is more literary and heavier in tone than harmful.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
語尾 -ful は helpful, painful のように「その性質で満ちた」を作る接尾辞です。baleful は bale「害・災い」に由来し、基本義では harmful より文語的で重く、「悪い影響を及ぼす」と覚えるとよいです。特に baleful effects / influence / consequences の形で、健康・社会・判断などにじわじわ害を与える文脈に出ます。別エントリの「禍々しい」は雰囲気や視線の不吉さに寄る用法です。
The suffix -ful makes adjectives like helpful and painful, meaning "full of" that quality. In baleful, the old root bale means "harm" or "disaster," so the word basically means "full of harm." It is more formal and heavier than harmful, so it is useful to remember it as "causing serious bad effects," especially in phrases like baleful effects, baleful influence, and baleful consequences. A different sense of baleful can mean "threatening or sinister in appearance," but this entry focuses on the harmful meaning.
例文
The report warned about the baleful effects of long-term air pollution on public health.
その報告書は、長期的な大気汚染が公衆衛生に及ぼす有害な影響について警告した。
Many critics say the policy had a baleful influence on social trust.
その政策は社会的信頼に有害な影響を与えたと多くの批評家は述べている。
He ignored the baleful consequences of his decision until it was too late.
彼は自分の決定の有害な結果を手遅れになるまで無視していた。
禍々しい、害をなす
(意味 2)解説 Definition
悪意や災いを感じさせる不気味さ、または実際に害を及ぼす有害さを表す語。人の視線や表情、空模様、影響などについて、単に「不吉」というだけでなく、脅威や邪悪さがにじむニュアンスで使われる。
Baleful describes something that seems threatening, harmful, or full of evil intent. It is often used for looks, signs, or atmospheres that create fear or worry. The word is literary and stronger than simply saying "bad."
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
このエントリでは baleful を「禍々しい、害をなす」という、雰囲気や視線に不吉さ・悪意がにじむ用法として覚えます。-ful は「満ちた」なので、baleful look / stare / glare は、ただ angry ではなく、相手を脅かすような邪悪さを帯びた目つきです。基本義の「有害な」は effects や influence と結びつきやすい一方、この用法は人の表情、空、気配などの暗く不穏な印象に焦点があります。
Use the ending `-ful` as your first clue: it means something is full of a certain quality. `Baleful` is not positive like `helpful`; it gives a dark, threatening feeling. It often appears with words like `look`, `stare`, or `glare`, so picture an evil or dangerous expression. You can also separate it from `baneful`, which is more about causing harm than looking sinister.
例文
He fixed me with a baleful stare.
彼は禍々しい目つきで私をにらみつけた。
The report warned of the baleful effects of the chemical.
その報告書は、その化学物質の有害な影響について警告した。
A baleful sky hung over the deserted town.
禍々しい空が人気のない町の上に垂れこめていた。
baleful の語源・成り立ち Etymology
古英語 bealu「害・災い」に、性質を表す接尾辞 -ful が付いた語です。もとは「害に満ちた」の意で、bale や balefully と同根です。
Baleful comes from Old English bealu, meaning "harm" or "evil," plus the suffix -ful, which means "full of" or "having the quality of." Its original sense was "full of harm," and it is related to bale and balefully.
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