frowned upon
2018.07.11
Meaning:
Simply, frowned-upon means ‘not good’ (‘not good manners’ or ‘not good morals’). To frown is the opposite of to smile. So we frown at things we think are not good. frowned upon means ‘Most people think this is bad’. Sometimes we use this to show a nuance that is 1 level below ‘breaking the rules’, but still bad. For example, ‘In my company there is a rule that you must start work at 9am, but if you don’t start work at 8.50am it is frowned-upon’.
Example:
A: Hey! Did you hear that John and Susan are moving in together?!
B: Tomo? Tomo from Marketing? And Susan the Sales Manager? Really? Isn’t dating a co-worker against company policy?
A: Nah. It’s frowned-upon, but it’s not against the rules. They won’t lose their jobs. But the boss isn’t happy. I think Tomo might get transferred to Osaka.
Talking Point(s):
Are inter-office romances against the rules or just frowned-upon in your company?
大人からの英会話getgo 西船橋・荻窪・津田沼・本八幡