hardening
硬化
解説 Definition
hardening は、harden（硬くなる、硬くする）の現在分詞・動名詞です。材料や態度などが硬くなることを表しますが、ここでは特に物質の「硬化」の意味で使います。
Hardening is the process of becoming hard or causing a material to become hard. As the present participle of harden, it can also describe a material, such as concrete, that is currently gaining firmness or strength.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
hardening は harden「硬くなる・硬くする」に -ing を付けた現在分詞・動名詞。語末の e を落として hardening となる。ここでは concrete is hardening「コンクリートが硬化中」、the hardening process「硬化の過程」のように、物質が徐々に硬くなる進行や工程を思い浮かべる。
Start with the base verb harden, meaning “become hard” or “make something hard.” To form hardening, drop the final e and add -ing. The form can be a present participle, as in the concrete is hardening, or a gerund describing the process itself, as in hardening takes time. For this sense, picture concrete or another material gradually becoming firm. Common combinations such as hardening process and hardening time reinforce the idea of a continuing physical change rather than an instantly completed result.
例文
The concrete is hardening in the warm sun.
コンクリートは暖かい日差しの中で硬化しています。
Hardening takes longer when the room is cold.
部屋が寒いと硬化には時間がかかります。
The technician checked the hardening process every hour.
技術者は硬化の過程を毎時間確認しました。
hardening の類義語・関連語
hardening の語源・成り立ち Etymology
古英語の「heard（硬い）」に、変化を表す接尾辞「-en」と過程を示す「-ing」を組み合わせた語です。「硬くなる動作・過程」という直感的な構造から「硬化」の意味が導かれます。同根語に「harden」「hardness」があります。
Hardening is formed from harden plus the participial and gerund suffix -ing. Harden combines hard, from Old English heard, with -en, a suffix used to form verbs expressing a change of state or the causing of such a change. The final e of harden is dropped before -ing. The resulting word literally names or describes the process of becoming hard or making something hard.
同じレベルの英単語をもっと
外部辞書で調べる
この単語を英単語クイズで覚えよう