earshot
聞こえる範囲
解説 Definition
人の声が聞き取れる距離の範囲。会話が聞こえる距離を指します。
Earshot means the distance within which someone can hear a sound or a speaker. It is often used when talking about whether a person is close enough to hear a conversation. The phrase is usually seen in expressions like "within earshot" or "out of earshot."
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
earshot は ear「耳」+ shot「届く範囲」と見ると覚えやすいです。gunshot が「銃声・射程」を連想させるなら、earshot は「耳に届く距離」。within earshot で「聞こえる範囲内」、out of earshot で「聞こえない所」が定番です。単に near ではなく、声や会話が実際に聞き取れる距離を指すのがポイント。聞かれたくない話なら move out of earshot と考えると、使用場面ごと頭に残ります。
Split it into `ear` + `shot` and think of the distance a sound can reach your ear. That makes `within earshot` easy to remember: close enough to hear. Learn it as a set with `out of earshot`, which is the natural opposite.
例文
They spoke in earshot of the children.
彼らは子どもたちに聞こえる範囲で話した。
The meeting was held within earshot of the entire office.
その会議はオフィス全体に聞こえる範囲で行われました。
Their whispered conversation was just barely within earshot.
彼らのささやく会話は、かろうじて聞こえる範囲内でした。
earshot の類義語・関連語
派生語
earshot の語源・成り立ち Etymology
earshotは古英語eare由来のear「耳」と、古英語sceotan由来でshootと同根のshot「射程」から成る語です。もとは「耳に届く射程」のことで、弾が届く範囲になぞらえて聞こえる範囲を表すのが面白い点です。関連語はeardrum、gunshot。
Earshot combines ear, from Old English eare, with shot, a word related to shoot. Shot first meant the distance a missile could travel, so earshot originally meant the distance that sound could reach the ear. The image is like something being "shot" as far as hearing allows. Related words include eardrum and gunshot.
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