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。

Eight years since I last clapped eyes on you?

SHERLOCK

（最後に会ってからもう8年になるかな？）
　BBCドラマ「シャーロック」エピソード2 "The Blind Banker" より。学生時代の同級生・セバスチャンとホームズの挨拶。セバスチャンのセリフ。このシーンのあとホームズが連れのワトスンを "This is my friend John Watson"と紹介するんだけど、ワトスンに即座に"Colleague."と訂正されてめちゃかわいそう。

  • "clap eyes on〜"は「〜を見る、〜に会う」という意味。ロングマンのオンライン辞書にはBritish English informalの注釈あり。他辞書ではオーストラリアでも使われるという表記も。予期せずに、や、初めて会う、というニュアンスがあるみたい。（to see someone or something, especially when you did not expect to／to see someone or something, perhaps for the first time／to set eyes on someone or something.／to see someone or something for the first time）
    • Mark had loved the house from the moment he clapped eyes on it.
    • I wish she had never clapped eyes on her fiancé.
    • I haven't clapped eyes on a red squirrel for years.
    • I wish I'd never clapped eyes on that money.
    • Everyone keeps talking about Patrick, but I've never clapped eyes on the man.
  • 英国以外でも広く使われているのは "lay eyes on" や "set eyes on" の形。意味は同じ。
    • I hope never to lay eyes on him again!
    • We liked the house from the moment we set eyes on it.
    • I've loved him ever since I first set eyes on him.
    • She did not want to lay eyes on this man ever again.
    • My mother had fallen in love with my father when she first set eyes on him.
    • I knew when I set eyes on that car that it was the car for me.


    • Have you ever laid eyes on such a beautiful flower?
    • I hope I never set eyes on this place again!