意味一覧 (2件)
重い
解説 Definition
非常に重くて動きが鈍い様子。または文章や話し方が退屈で冗長なこと。
Ponderous means very heavy, slow, or serious in a way that feels difficult to move or not lively. It can describe physical movement, writing, speech, or style. It often suggests something is dull or overly formal as well as heavy.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
ponderous は、単なる heavy より強く、非常に重いために動きが鈍い・扱いにくい感じを表します。a ponderous machine、ponderous steps のように、大きな機械、巨体、足取りなどに使うと、重さが動作の遅さとして見えるイメージになります。文章や演説にも使え、その場合は重く長くて進みが悪い印象です。-ous は dangerous などと同じ形容詞語尾です。
Think of `ponderous` as stronger than just `heavy`: it suggests something so heavy that it moves slowly or feels hard to handle. It often fits machines, bodies, steps, or writing: `a ponderous machine`, `ponderous steps`, `a ponderous style`. The ending `-ous`, as in `dangerous`, helps you remember it is an adjective.
例文
The elephant moved with a ponderous gait through the dense jungle.
象は鬱蒼としたジャングルの中を重々しい足取りで進んだ。
His ponderous writing style made the textbook almost impossible to finish.
彼の冗長な文体のせいで、その教科書を読み終えるのはほぼ不可能だった。
The ponderous machinery groaned as it slowly lifted the steel beam.
重厚な機械が鉄骨をゆっくり持ち上げるとき、きしむ音を立てた。
重苦しい
(意味 2)解説 Definition
文体、話し方、雰囲気などが重く、のろく、気楽に進まない感じを表します。特に本や演説、説明が長くて堅苦しく、聞き手や読み手に負担を感じさせる場面で使われます。
Ponderous describes something that feels heavy, slow, and not easy to move through. It is often used for writing, speech, explanations, or an atmosphere that seems long, serious, and difficult to enjoy. The word suggests a lack of lightness or energy, so the listener or reader may feel tired or burdened.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
ponderous は heavy より書き言葉寄りで、単に重量があるというより「内容や進み方が重くて、読む・聞くのが大変」という感覚に結びつけると覚えやすいです。a ponderous speech, a ponderous style, a ponderous explanation のように、話・文章・説明が長く堅く、軽快さを欠く場面でよく使います。ponder「熟考する」と形は近いですが、「考え深い」ではなく、受け手に重さを感じさせる語です。
Think of ponderous as a more literary word than heavy. It often describes speech, writing, or explanations that feel so long and serious that they are hard to follow. Expressions like a ponderous speech or a ponderous style can help you remember this sense of mental or emotional heaviness, not just physical weight. Although it looks similar to ponder, it does not mean "deep in thought."
例文
The professor gave a ponderous lecture that was full of long, formal sentences.
教授は長くて堅い文ばかりの重苦しい講義をした。
Although the report contained useful information, its ponderous style made it hard to read.
その報告書は役立つ情報を含んでいたが、文体が重苦しくて読みにくかった。
A ponderous silence filled the room after his serious announcement.
彼の深刻な発表のあと、部屋は重苦しい沈黙に包まれた。
ponderous の語源・成り立ち Etymology
ponderous はラテン語 pondus『重さ』由来で、語幹 ponder- に形容詞語尾 -ous がつき『重みのある』を表します。ponder や preponderance も同根なので、物理的な重さの感覚が、動きや文体の鈍重さという比喩へ広がった語だと分かります。
From Latin pondus, meaning "weight," through the stem ponder-. The adjective ending -ous gave the sense of "full of weight" or "heavy." Over time, the idea of physical heaviness widened into a figurative sense for slow, awkward movement or heavy style. Related English words include ponder and preponderance.
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