take the wind out of someone's sail讓人洩氣

把虧欠和祝福縫在一句裡，體面底下全是舊情。

I just want to wish you everything I couldn't ...

對舊人、舊同事道別時說；正式賀詞裡也可，但更私人。

I hope you get all the things I never could give you. ／ All I want is to wish you what I failed to give.

中性

I just want to 連讀，couldn't give you 放慢，句尾輕收。

I just want to wish you everything I couldn't offer here. 我只想祝你得到我在這兒給不了你的東西。

把忠誠說成別無二選，既是誇舊主，也是示弱。

In spite of everything, there's only one ... I'd ...

對老東家表忠、或承認自己只認一個人時用；正式場合也能說。

After all this, I'd still work for only one person. ／ Whatever happened, I'd work for no one else.

中性

In spite of 連讀，only one man 重讀，I'd 輕讀。

In spite of everything, there's only one boss I'd go back to. 不管怎樣，只有一個老闆我願意再跟。

用抽掉風帆的比喻說被澆了冷水，畫面感十足又不失風度。

take the wind out of someone's sail

被人搶先一步或潑冷水時說；日常閒聊可用，正式報告別用。

You really knocked the wind out of me. ／ That took the wind right out of my sails.

口語

kind of 輕讀，took the wind 重讀，out of my sail 連讀。

His news really took the wind out of my sail. 他帶來的訊息一下子把我澆沒了勁。

聽到情敵的姓氏就順口編排成偷馬賊，尖酸得幾乎優雅。

I knew a ... once, a ....

聽到熟人的姓就想順口損一句時用；對當事人或其家人說就是當面挑釁。

I knew one of those once, a horse thief. ／ I once met a Smith, a pickpocket.

口語

knew a 連讀，once 稍停，horse thief 一字一頓。

I knew a Carter once, a used-car salesman. 我認識過一個姓卡特的，是賣二手車的。

用最狠的話說最深的獨佔，是老闆也是情人的宣言。

I'd ... if you ... anybody else.

對最親近的搭檔半真半假地宣示獨佔時用；對普通同事說會嚇到人，別亂用。

I'd hate it if you worked for anyone else. ／ You don't work for anyone but me.

口語

I'd kill 重而快，anybody else 慢下來，句尾壓住。

I'd cry for a week if you moved to another team. 你要是跳到別的組，我能哭一星期。