louse up something搞砸

用一句挖苦的讓步就把對方心思摸透，判斷裡帶著優越感。

Unless he's dumber than I think, he won't ...

看穿別人打算、順帶損一句時用；對當事人說會顯得刻薄。

Unless he is a fool, he won't wait that long. ／ He is smarter than to sit around until his lease ends.

口語

unless 輕起，dumber 重讀，won't wait 拖住。

Unless she's changed, she won't wait for an answer. 除非她變了，否則她才不會等答覆。

用一句虛擬推斷就把婚戒變成鐵證，逼得對方只能點頭。

If ... was alive, she'd be wearing ...

把常識擺成推理、逼對方認同時用；證據不足時這麼說會顯得武斷。

A living woman would still wear that ring. ／ If she were alive, the ring would be on her hand.

中性

was alive 連讀，she'd be 輕帶，Right? 上揚收。

If he had really left, his keys would be gone. 他要是真走了，鑰匙就不會還在這兒。

把對方輕蔑的追問原樣扔回去，短句裡全是火氣。

Like X. That's like what.

被人用輕佻口氣追問、要當場頂回去時用；正式對話裡不能這麼衝。

Like the ring. That is what. ／ That kind of like what.

口語

wedding ring 重讀，That's like what 一頓一頓說。

Like the receipt. That's like what. 比如這張收據。這就是證據。

進去與出來對舉，一句給麗莎的冒險定了性，還帶著解氣。

went in to get X and came out with X

強調某人說到做到、空手進滿手出時用；正式彙報別這麼口語。

She went in empty-handed and came out with proof. ／ In for evidence, out with evidence.

中性

went in to 連讀，get evidence 重讀 evidence，and 輕帶。

He went in to ask one question and came out with a job offer. 他進去只想問一個問題，出來卻拿到了一份工作。