taper off
次第に減る
解説 Definition
量や勢いが次第に細くなって減少すること。
To taper off means to become gradually smaller, weaker, or less in amount. It is often used for things like rain, sound, interest, activity, or numbers that slowly decrease over time.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
taper は『先へ行くほど細くなる』形を思い出すと残りやすいです。ろうそくや鉛筆の先がだんだん細くなる絵を、そのまま量・勢いに移すと taper off は『急に止まる』ではなく『先細りしながら減っていく』とつかめます。off は『離れていく』感覚。sales tapered off, the applause tapered off, the rain tapered off のように、売上・拍手・雨などが自然に弱まる場面で頻出です。stop や end よりなめらかで、wear off より対象が広い表現として覚えると使い分けしやすいです。
Think of something that is tapered: it becomes thinner and thinner at the end, like a candle or pencil. So if activity, rain, or applause tapers off, it does not stop suddenly; it gradually gets smaller. Remember it as a softer, slower change than stop or end.
例文
Sales usually taper off after the holiday season.
売上は通常、ホリデーシーズンの後に次第に減る。
The rain began to taper off by late afternoon.
雨は午後遅くになって次第に弱まった。
Interest in the product tapered off after a few months.
その製品への関心は数ヶ月後に次第に減った。
taper off の類義語・関連語
taper off の語源・成り立ち Etymology
taper は古英語系の「細長いろうそく」に由来し、先へ行くほど細くなる形が核にある。off「離れて」が付くと、勢いや量が先細りしながら遠のく感じになり「次第に減る」。tapered や tapering も同じ語根。
"Taper" comes from an old English word for a slender candle, with the core idea of becoming narrower toward the end. With "off," it suggests something gradually thinning out and moving away. That gave the phrasal verb the sense of slowly decreasing in amount, strength, or activity. Related forms include "tapered" and "tapering."
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