ramp

Beaver一家の場所は危ないと知ったLucy達は、魔女に騙されて出て行った次男のEdmundを除き、Beaverの家を出てTable Stoneに向かいます。途中でFather Chirismasに会いました。
"These are your presents," was the answer, "and they are tools, not toys. The time to use them is perhaps near at hand. Bear them well." With these words he handed to Peter a shield and a sword. The shield was the colour of silver and across it there ramped a red lion, as bright as a ripe strawberry at the moment when you pick it.
"ramp" の単語は高速道路の出入り口の道路、傾斜と、動詞の傾斜するしか思い浮かびません。ここの "ramped" はライオンの図柄の形容なので何だろうと考えて見ると、この手のライオンは立っている場合がありますが、その様な意味になるのでしょうか？　辞書で確認します。
・Oxford English Dictionary: [no object] archaic (of an animal) rear up on its hind legs in a threatening posture:
they roared and ramped in cages
・Dictionary,com:
(of animals) to stand or move with the forelegs or arms raised, as in animosity or excitement.
(of a lion or other large quadruped represented on a coat of arms) to rise or stand on the hind legs.
納得です。

get wind of

Lucyは他の兄弟姉妹と共に再びNarnia国に出かけ、初めてNarnia国に行った時に会ったMr. Tumnusの家に行きますが、家の中は荒されていてMr. Tumnusはいません。
"Here is my token." With these words it held up to them a little white object. They all looked at it in surprise, till suddenly Lucy said, "Oh, of course It's my handkerchief - the one I gave to poor Mr. Tumnus."
"That's right," said the Beaver. "Poor fellow, he got wind of the arrest before it atually happened and handed this over to me.
"got wind of" は多分、ここでは感づいた、あるいは情報を得たと言うような意味の慣用句でしょう。辞書で確認します。
・Wiktionary: (idiomatic, transitive) and catch wind of something: To hear about; to learn of, especially with respect to facts intended to have been kept confidential or secret.: The secret was still a secret, except that you had got wind of it.
・McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs: Fig. to learn of something; to hear about something. The police got wind of the illegal drug deal. John caught wind of the gossip being spread about him.

rather

末っ子のLucyは館の衣装部屋からNarnia国に行きました。そこで、足はヤギの様で、頭には二本の角が生えているFaunのMr. Tumnusに会いました。別れの際の会話に出てきた "Rather" は私の知らない意味で使われています。
"Farewell, Daughter of Eve," said he. "Perhaps I may keep the handkerchief?"
"Rather!" said Lucy, and then ran towards the far-off patch of daylight as quickly as her legs would carry her.
この "Rather" は "yes" とか "sure" の意味で使われているはずですが辞書で確認します。
・Macmillan Dictionary: British informal old-fashioned used for showing that you are very willing to do what someone has suggested: "You're coming to swim with us, Uncle Phil, aren't you?" "Rather!"
・Oxford English Dictionary: British dated: used to express emphatic affirmation, agreement, or acceptance: ‘You are glad to be home, aren’t you?’ ‘Rather!’
古いイギリス英語ですか。でも子供の童話にでてくるのでは覚えるしかないです。

fall on one's feet

アルクのホームページに、「翻訳家が選ぶ洋書この１冊」（http://www.alc.co.jp/eng/hontsu/book/）があるのを見つけ、何十冊もの本の紹介がありました。その中から私の地元の図書館にある本を読もうと思います。調べると図書館にある本は余りないのですが、The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobeがあったのでこれを最初に読むことにしました。
Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucyの４人の兄弟姉妹は戦争の為にロンドンから疎開し、大きな館に住む教授のところで暮らすことになりました。
As soon as they had said goodnight to the Professor and gone upstairs on the first night, the boys came into the girls' room and they all talked it over.
"We've fallen on our feet and no mistake," said Peter. "This is going to be perfectly splendid. That old chap will let us do anything we like."
"fallen on our feet" は慣用句の様です。意味を調べます。
・American Heritage Dictionary: Also, land on one's feet . Overcome difficulties, be restored to a sound or stable condition. For example, Don't worry about Joe's losing his job two years in a row he always falls on his feet, or The company went bankrupt, but the following year it was restructured and landed on its feet. This term alludes to the cat and its remarkable ability to land on its paws after falling from a great height. [Mid-1800s]
・Cambridge Idioms Dictionary: land on your feet (British, American & Australian) also fall on your feet (British & Australian) to be lucky or successful after you have been in a difficult situation She really landed on her feet - she found an apartment right in the middle of San Francisco. Richard takes the most awful risks, but he always seems to fall on his feet.
なる程、猫が高い所から落ちても楽に着地できることからできた表現ですか。

hang around

昨日は朝早くから卓球の試合に出かけました。冬休みになって全く卓球の練習をしなかったのが功を奏してか、久し振りに６戦全勝し優勝しました。と言っても種を明かすと、私に実力がついた訳ではなく、昨日の試合はランクが一つ上の相手からは２点も最初にもらえる戦いで、４人の相手は格上の選手だったので楽に勝つことができたのでした。
今日は冬休みの最後の日曜日になりました。日曜恒例の駄洒落ジョークを紹介します。
What did the tie say to the hat?
You go ahead and I'll hang around!

明日からはブラブラせずにまた英語の勉強を開始します。

putative

正月の私の楽しみラグビーの大学選手権準決勝の二戦をＴＶで見ました。筑波大と東海大の試合は良かったですね。筑波大、決勝も良い試合を見せて下さい。
さて、図書館から借りる本のつなぎに読んでいるMarx for Biginnersの一節を引用します。
All revolutions, even those which claim to be spontaneous and without "putative" fathers, have a Marxist origin..
今日は上に出てきた "putative" を覚えたい。
・Collins Dictionary: prenominal commonly regarded as being: the putative father
・Vocabulary.com: You might be the putative leader of your lacrosse team, even if someone else holds the title of captain. Putative means to be known as something by reputation, or assumed to be something, or generally accepted. Every once in a while, a putative planet is reported in the news, which we get very excited about and which usually turns out to be an illusion. But in 2005, an astronomer discovered what appears to be a new planet beyond Neptune. But is this putative planet for real? There is always some doubt--something not quite official--about putative things.

warts and all

私が毎月読んでいるリーダーズダイジェスト（ＲＤ）と英語の単行本はほとんど区の図書館から借りているので、ＲＤと単行本の借りるのに間が空く事があります。その空きの期間に読む本を１０年程前に買ったMarx for Biginners by Riusとする事にしました。
今日取り上げるのは "warts and all" で、この表現は初めてではなく、時々見掛ける事があります。　"wart" の意味は知っているので、 "warts and all" は「何でも」との意味だと解釈し、辞書を今まで引いた事はありません。Marx for BiginnersのEditor's Introductionにこの表現がまた出た来たので下記に引用します。
In the light of what has happened since 1989, it is high time for a reconsideration of what Marx was really about, warts and all, without dogmatism and sanctification. What was done in his name in the Soviet Union, in Eastern Europe, China and elsewhere, has for too long been passed off as "Marxism".
下記辞書を見るとどちらかと言うと「何でも」、「全て」と言うより欠点や悪い事に重点がある様です。
・Cambridge English Dictionary: A warts and all description or representation of a person is one that includes all the bad qualities in that person's character and makes no attempt to hide them: He tried to paint the president as he really was, warts and all.
・Collins Dictionary: with all blemishes evident: DEIDRE SAYS: If you truly love someone it has to be unconditional, warts and all.
・Etymology.com: Phrase warts and all "without concealment of blemishes" is attested from 1763, supposedly from Oliver

Happy New Year!

元旦はどういうわけか私の誕生日でもあります。　そこで今日は誕生日ジョークを幾つか紹介します。

What is the left side of a birthday cake?
The side that's not eaten.

What did the bald man say when he got a comb for his birthday?
Thanks. I'll never part with it!
私の好きな駄洒落でした。

What is a meaning of a true friend?
One who remembers your birthday but not your age!

Why did the man feel warm on his birthday?
Because people kept toasting him!
お屠蘇の飲み過ぎで私も熱くなっています。

What did George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Christopher Columbus all have in common?
They were all born on holidays.
私も偉人と同じく休日に生まれましたが、休日との因果関係が正反対ですね。