thresholdとは 意味・読み方・使い方

語源

From 中期英語 threschwolde, threscholde, from 古期英語 þresċold, þerxold, þrexwold (“doorsill, entryway”), from Proto-Germanic *þreskudlaz, *þreskūþlijaz, *þreskwaþluz, from Proto-Germanic *þreskaną, *þreskwaną (“to thresh, (originally) to tread”), from Proto-Indo-European *terh₁- (“to rub, turn”).

Cognate with Low German Drüssel (“threshold”), dialectal German Drischaufel, Drissufle, Trüschübel (“threshold”), Danish tærskel (“threshold”), Norwegian terskel (“threshold”), Swedish tröskel (“threshold”), dialectal Swedish träskvald (“threshold”), Icelandic þröskuldur (“threshold”).

Pronunciations such as “thresh-hold” are un-etymological and result from analogy with hold.

発音

• (英国発音) IPA: /ˈθɹeʃəʊld/, /ˈθɹɛʃˌhəʊld/, (goat split) [ˈθɹɛʃˌhɒʊɫd]
• (米国発音) IPA: /ˈθɹɛʃ(h)oʊld/
• 韻: -əʊld

名詞

threshold (plural thresholds)

1. The lowermost part of a doorway that one crosses to enter; a sill.

   Synonyms: doorsill, doorstep

2. (by extension) An entrance; the door or gate of a house.
   • c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii], page 166:

     Shy. You that did voide your rume vpon my beard, / And foote me as you ſpurne a ſtranger curre / Ouer your threſhold, […]

3. (by extension) Any end or boundary.
4. (figurative) The outset of something; the point of entry, or the beginning of an action.
   • 1927-29, M.K. Gandhi, The Story of My Experiments with Truth, translated 1940 by Mahadev Desai, Part I, Chapter xi:

     I arrived at last, did obeisance to my uncle, and told him everything. He thought it over and said: ' […] At the threshold of death, how dare I give you permission to go to England, to cross the seas? But I will not stand in your way. It is your mother's permission which really matters. If she permit you, then godspeed! Tell her I will not interfere. You will go with my blessings.'

   • 1951 March, John W. Cline, “The Future of Medicine”, in Northwest Medicine, volume 50, number 3, Portland, Ore.: Northwest Medical Publishing Association, page 165:

     The first half of this century has been referred to as the golden age of medicine. To me it seems more probable that we are on the threshold of a much greater age.

5. (aviation) The start of the landing area of a runway.
6. (engineering) The quantitative point at which an action is triggered, especially a lower limit.
7. The wage or salary at which income tax becomes due.
8. The point where one is mentally or physically vulnerable in response to a provocation or to other nuisances.

反意語

• (antonym(s) of “bottom-most part of a doorway”): lintel

派生語

参照