英和和英

語源

This phrase alludes to the facial expression created by putting one's tongue in one's cheek. The term first appeared in print in 1828,^[1] but isn't entirely clear that it was used with the modern, rather than a literal, sense. A later citation from Richard Barham is unambiguous.^[2]

発音

形容詞

tongue-in-cheek (comparative more tongue-in-cheek, superlative most tongue-in-cheek)

1. (idiomatic) Not intended seriously; jocular or humorous.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:witty

   He gave a tongue-in-cheek explanation of why the sky was blue, offering a theory about some primordial discount on light blue paint.

   • 2021 December 29, Conrad Landin, “Glasgow Subway: a city institution”, in RAIL, number 947, page 45:

     It was in this era, too, that author and Scotland the Brave songwriter Cliff Hanley penned The Glasgow Underground, a tongue-in-cheek love letter to the Subway in song.

副詞

tongue-in-cheek (not comparable)

1. (obsolete) With contempt.
2. With irony.

   He portrayed them tongue-in-cheek as great lawgivers, as Solons.

Further reading

• tongue-in-cheek at OneLook Dictionary Search
• tongue-in-cheek on Wikipedia.

参照