続 今日の英語

はてなダイアリーで地味に続けていた「今日の英語」の続き。日常出会った気になる英語表現を、オンライン辞書の例文などとともにメモしています。

It was a long shot anyway.

(いずれにせよ、成功の見込みは薄くても、やる価値のあったことだ。)
 BBCドラマ「シャーロック」エピソード1 "A Study in Pink" より。携帯メッセージで犯人をおびきだそうとした目論みは失敗に終わった。ホームズの台詞。

  • a long shot=「成功の見込みは薄いがやるだけの価値があること、大きな賭、大胆な試み」(used to say that a plan is worth trying, even though you think it is unlikely to succeed/something that will probably not succeed but is worth trying/an attempt or a guess that is not likely to be successful but is worth trying)
    • It's a long shot, but someone might recognise her from the photo and be able to tell us where she lives.
    • It's a long shot but I could call Tony and see if he knows her address.
    • It's a long shot, but it just might work.
    • I hope to double my profits, but I know that's a long shot.
  • 人(や馬)がa long shotだ、と言うと、その人(や馬)がレースや選挙で勝てる見込みが薄い人だってこと。大穴。(if someone is a long shot, they are not likely to be chosen for a job or to win an election, competition etc/a person or thing that is not likely to win something (such as a contest or race) )
    • Turner is a long shot to win next month's mayoral election.
    • The horse was a long shot, but we bet on him anyway.
    • She always bets on long shots at the racetrack.

(BDは日本でも見られるけど、DVDはリージョン違いなのでご注意を!)