与える
解説 Definition
罰や批判などを公式に与えること。正義や規律として何かを分配する場面で使われる。
To mete out something means to give or apply it, especially in an official or controlled way. It is often used for punishment, justice, or treatment given by a person in authority. This is a fairly formal expression.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
out があるので「外へ配る」と捉えると覚えやすい表現です。単独の mete はあまり見かけず、ほぼ mete out のかたまりで覚えるのが実用的。特に mete out punishment / justice / criticism の形でよく出て、「何かを与える」より「権威ある側が罰や批判を正式に下す」感じです。日常の give より硬く、reward よりも punishment と強く結びつけると意味がぶれません。
Learn this as one fixed chunk: "mete out." The word "out" gives the image of handing something out from a position of authority, especially in phrases like "mete out punishment" or "mete out justice." It is much more formal than "give," and it strongly collocates with punishment, justice, and criticism.
例文
The judge meted out a severe sentence for the crime.
裁判官はその犯罪に対して厳しい判決を与えた。
The school meted out harsh punishments for cheating on exams.
学校は試験の不正行為に対して厳しい処罰を与えた。
Justice must be meted out fairly and without bias.
正義は公平かつ偏りなく与えられなければならない。
mete out の類義語・関連語
mete out の語源・成り立ち Etymology
mete out の mete は古英語 metan「測る、量る」に由来し、ゲルマン祖語を経て印欧祖語の「測る」語根 *med- にさかのぼります。out が付くことで「量って外へ配る」イメージになり、関連語に meter と measure があります。
The `mete` in `mete out` comes from Old English `metan`, meaning "to measure," from an older Indo-European root meaning "measure." With `out`, the phrase originally suggested measuring something and then giving it out in portions. That is why it came to mean dealing out something carefully, often like a judged share; related English words include `measure` and `meter`.
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