from top to bottom
徹底的に
解説 Definition
対象を一部分だけでなく全体にわたって漏れなく扱う、という比喩的な用法。家中の掃除、機械の点検、組織や書類の見直しなど、細部まで確認・処理したことを強調する場面で使う。
This phrase means completely or in every part, not just partly. It can also describe something arranged from the highest part to the lowest part. It is often used to stress that something affects the whole thing.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
上下を実際に移動するより、「対象全体を端から端までなめるように確認する」と覚えると自然です。clean the house, inspect the engine, review the plan, reorganize the company のように、作業・調査・点検が全域に及ぶ動詞と相性がよい表現です。completely よりも、各部分を順に見ていく手間や丁寧さが出ます。元の物理的な「上から下まで」が、漏れのない処理という抽象的な意味へ拡張した形です。
Picture your eyes moving over every part, from the highest point to the lowest point. This phrase is often used with verbs like clean, check, inspect, or reorganize, where nothing is missed. Remember: it is not about physical movement downwards, but about covering the whole thing completely.
例文
She cleaned the house from top to bottom before the guests arrived.
客が来る前に、彼女は家中を隅々まで掃除した。
The engineer inspected the engine from top to bottom after the noise.
騒音がした後、技師はエンジンを上から下まで点検した。
from top to bottom の類義語・関連語
from top to bottom の語源・成り立ち Etymology
topは古英語topp「頂上」、bottomは古英語botm「最下部」に由来。建物を上から下まで隅々調べる様子から「徹底的に」の意味に。関連語：topmost（最上の）、bottomless（底なしの）。物理的な空間の全範囲が比喩的に完全性を表す。
This phrase is built from two very old English words: top, from Old English topp, and bottom, from Old English botm. It first referred to moving or checking something through its full physical height, from the highest part to the lowest. From that concrete image, it came to mean doing something completely or thoroughly.
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