gewgawとは 意味・読み方・使い方

別の表記

• geegaw
• gew-gaw
• gee-gaw

語源

From earlier gugaw, gygaw, from 中期英語 givegove (“gewgaw, trifle”), a reduplication of 中期英語 give, geove (“gift”), from 古期英語 giefu, geofu, geafu (“gift”), from Proto-Germanic *gebō (“gift”). Compare Icelandic gyligjöf (“showy gifts, gewgaw”). More at give.

発音

• (英国発音) IPA: /ˈɡjuːɡɔː/
• (General American) IPA: /ˈɡuɡɔ/, (cot–caught merger) /ˈɡuɡɑ/

名詞

gewgaw (plural gewgaws)

1. A showy trifle, a toy; a showy trinket, ornament or decoration. [from 15th c.]
   • 1693, Decimus Junius Juvenalis, John Dryden, transl., “[The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis.] The Tenth Satyr”, in The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis. Translated into English Verse. […] Together with the Satires of Aulus Persius Flaccus. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC:

     A heavy gewgaw called a crown.

   • 1883, Nathaniel Hawthorne, chapter 15, in Doctor Grimshawe's Secret:

     It was a Saxon ornament. […] Some Puritan, before his departure, may have thought himself doing God service by filching the old golden gewgaw.

   • 1951, Isaac Asimov, Foundation (1974 Panther Books Ltd publication), part V: “The Merchant Princes”, chapter 11, page 163, ¶¶ 2–4:

     “I am not of the neighbourhood,” said Mallow, calmly, “but the matter is irrelevant. I have had the honour to send you a little gift yesterday ——” [¶] The tech-man’s nose lifted. “I received it. An interesting gewgaw. I may have use for it on occasion.” [¶] I have other and more interesting gifts. Quite out of the gewgaw stage.”

   • 2011, Will Self, “The frowniest spot on Earth”, in London Review of Books, XXXIII.9:

     You or I may well view our desire to push buttons and order new electronic gewgaws as the mere reflex spasms of consumerism, but to this dynamic duo the future of the earth depends on our instant gratification more than anything else.

派生語

形容詞

gewgaw (not comparable)

1. Showy; unreal; pretentious.
   • 1678, Dryden, John, All for Love, Scene II:

     The rattle of a globe to play withal,
     This gewgaw world, and put him cheaply off;

   • 1855, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Maud; A Monodrama, X, stanza 1:

     Seeing his gewgaw castle shine,
     New as his title, built last year.

同意語

• gewgawish

派生語

• Jew's harp (possibly)