充てがう

あてがう【宛てがう･充てがう】

1 〔ぴったり付ける〕 apply 《sth to [on]…》; hold 《sth to…》; put 《sth on [over]…》; fit 《sth to…》.

●受話器を耳にあてがう put the receiver to one's ear

・双眼鏡を目にあてがう put binoculars to one's eyes

・庭木に添え木をあてがう attach a supporting stake to a garden plant

・服地にものさしをあてがう apply a measure to a piece of cloth.

●何か傷口にあてがうものはありませんか. Have you got something I can cover this cut with?

2 〔割り当てる〕 allot 《to…》; assign 《to…》; allocate; (食物を) hand out [provide, distribute] 《rations》; 〔配する〕 match 《sb with another person》.

●劇団員それぞれに役をあてがう assign [allocate, hand out] roles [parts] to each member of the company [troupe]

・親が私にあてがった嫁[婿] the wife [husband] chosen for me by my parents.

●私には書類整理の仕事があてがわれた. I was given the job of sorting out documents.

・鈴木さんは彼の能力を生かせる仕事をあてがわれた. Mr. Suzuki has been found work that fits his abilities.

・家に引きこもりがちのこの子に適当な遊び相手をあてがってやりたい. This girl tends to stay at home all the time; I wish we could find a suitable playmate for her.

3 〔与える〕 give; provide [supply, 《文》 furnish] 《sb with sth》; find 《sth for sb》; (食物を) hand out [distribute] rations 《to…》.

●仕事をあてがう provide sb with work; provide work for sb

・子供に玩具をあてがう give a child a toy to play with

・住宅手当として月 5 万円あてがう provide sb 50,000 yen a month in housing allowance.

●子供がぐずるのであめをあてがっておいた. The child was fretting, so I gave him some candy.