get around to
ようやく取りかかる
解説 Definition
後回しにしていたことにようやく取りかかること。
If you get around to doing something, you finally start it after waiting or being busy with other things. It often suggests that the action was delayed for some time.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
get around to は「get＝到達する」＋「around＝あちこち回る」から、別の用事をいくつか回り道した末に、やっと本題に届く場面を思い浮かべると覚えやすい。ふつうは get around to doing の形で使い、I finally got around to replying. のように「気にはなっていたが後回しだったことに着手する」定番表現。単なる start より遅れた感じが強く、get to do のような“機会を得る”とは別物。
Picture yourself moving around many other tasks before finally reaching one you delayed. That is the feeling of `get around to`: you did not do it at first, but you finally started it later. It is commonly followed by `-ing`, like `get around to replying`.
例文
I finally got around to cleaning the garage last weekend.
先週末、ようやくガレージの掃除に取りかかった。
Have you gotten around to reading that book I recommended?
私が薦めた本をもう読み始めましたか？
I've been meaning to get around to fixing the fence for months.
もう何ヶ月もフェンスの修理に取りかかろうと思っている。
get around to の類義語・関連語
紛らわしい語
get around to の語源・成り立ち Etymology
get は古ノルド語 geta「手に入れる・到達する」、around は round「円形の」の語から発達しました。「あれこれ回った末にそこへ着く」というイメージで、round や surround も同根。そこから「ようやく取りかかる」の意味になりました。
Get comes from Old Norse geta, meaning to obtain or reach, and around grew from round, related to the idea of a circle. The phrase suggests moving around through other matters before finally reaching one point. That is how it came to mean finally finding time to do something.
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