Health & Body

Illness, fitness, appearance, and feeling under the weather

はじめに

身体のさまざまな状態——元気いっぱいから体調最悪まで——は、英語圏の文化に豊かな語彙をもたらしてきました。「a bit peaky（ちょっと顔色が悪い）」はイギリス式、「crook（具合が悪い）」はオーストラリア式。こうした言葉から、体について私たちがどう語るかが見えてきます。

イギリス英語は健康に関して特に控えめな表現が得意です。「very ill（重病）」とはめったに言わず、「not feeling too clever（あまり調子よくない）」とか「a bit under the weather（ちょっと体調がね）」と言います。この抑制は、アメリカのより直接的なアプローチと対照的。一方オーストラリアのスラングは、持ち前ののんびりしたユーモアを体の不調にも加えてきます。

この章では、健康と身体の言葉を取り上げます——軽い不調から深刻な状態まで、体の特徴からフィットネスや疲労の度合いまで。

テーマ

この章の英語スラング一覧（84）

• Crook Sick or unwell (Australian).
• Gippy tummy An upset stomach, especially from foreign travel.
• Poorly Unwell or sick (British, often for children).
• Off-colour Not feeling well; also means slightly rude or risqué.
• Rough as guts Feeling very unwell; also means crude or unrefined.
• Green around the gills Looking nauseous or seasick; appearing unwell.
• Zonked Completely exhausted or very tired.
• Wiped out Completely exhausted or extremely tired.
• Dead on your feet Extremely tired while still standing or working.
• Bushed Very tired or exhausted.
• Beat Tired or exhausted (American).
• Pooped Exhausted or very tired (American).
• Tuckered out Completely exhausted (American).
• Run-down In poor health due to exhaustion or stress.
• Burnt out Completely exhausted from overwork or prolonged stress.
• Fighting fit In excellent physical condition; very healthy.
• Right as rain Completely well; in perfect health.
• In the pink In excellent health; in top condition.
• On the mend Recovering from illness; getting better.
• Picking up Recovering; starting to improve.
• Perking up Becoming more lively; recovering energy.
• Bouncing back Recovering quickly from illness or setback.
• Coming down with Starting to get ill with something.
• On one's last legs Near exhaustion, collapse, or death.
• Bonce Head (British slang).
• Noggin Head; also a small drink.
• Barnet Hair (Cockney rhyming slang).
• Mush Face; also a term of address for a man.
• Gob Mouth (British slang).
• Lug-holes Ears (British slang).
• Ticker Heart.
• Pins Legs.
• Plates Feet (Cockney rhyming slang).
• Beer belly A protruding stomach, stereotypically from drinking beer.
• Spare tyre A roll of fat around the waist.
• Love handles Fat deposits on the sides of the waist.
• Pot belly A round, protruding stomach.
• Lanky Tall and thin, often awkwardly so.
• Built like a brick outhouse Very solidly built; muscular and sturdy.
• Skinny as a rake Extremely thin.
• Beanpole A very tall, thin person.
• Having a lie-down Taking a rest by lying down (British).
• Forty winks A short nap.
• Kip Sleep or a place to sleep (British).
• Crash To sleep suddenly or stay somewhere overnight.
• Out like a light Fell asleep instantly.
• Snooze A light sleep or nap.
• Hit the sack Go to bed.
• Turn in Go to bed for the night.
• Hit the hay Go to bed.
• Sleep like a log Sleep very deeply and soundly.
• Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed Alert, energetic, and enthusiastic.
• Full of beans Lively and full of energy.
• aches and pains minor physical discomforts
• fit as a fiddle in excellent health
• splitting headache severe headache
• clean bill of health official confirmation of good health
• run down exhausted and susceptible to illness
• sick as a dog very ill, especially with vomiting
• off colour looking or feeling unwell
• knocked for six severely affected or overwhelmed by illness
• burning up having a high fever
• come down with to catch an illness
• go private use private healthcare instead of NHS
• waiting list NHS queue for treatment
• on tablets taking prescription medication
• see the quack visit the doctor
• black and blue badly bruised
• in agony in extreme pain
• out of sorts feeling unwell or irritable
• at death's door extremely ill, near death
• pull through survive a serious illness
• go downhill deteriorate in health
• bed rest staying in bed to recover
• take a turn sudden change in health condition
• touch and go uncertain whether someone will survive
• given the all-clear declared free of illness or risk
• on your last legs near exhaustion or death
• take it easy rest and don't strain yourself
• sick note doctor's certificate for work absence
• signed off given medical leave from work
• chunder to vomit
• technicolour yawn vomiting
• sickbed bed where someone is ill