dispose of處理掉

用香蕉皮這種滑稽物件去接絞刑架，把生死大事說得又快又輕。

one foot on X and the other on Y

調侃某人剛從大險裡脫身時用；對還沒緩過來的人說會顯得刻薄。

He had one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel. ／ One step from disaster, one step from a joke.

口語

Chipper 上揚，gallows 放慢，banana peel 輕快收尾。

Last week he had one foot on the gallows and the other on a banana peel. 上週他還是一隻腳踩在絞刑架上，另一隻腳踩在香蕉皮上。

把「了結」說成 disposed of，再用還有香蕉皮給勝訴留個尾巴。

We've disposed of X, but there's still Y.

事情辦完一半、想提醒別急著高興時用；慶功場合說會掃興。

We removed the rope, but the trap is still set. ／ The gallows are gone, but the risk is not.

中性

disposed of 連讀，but there's still 放慢，somewhere 輕收。

We've disposed of the paperwork, but there's still that deadline under somebody's foot. 手續是辦完了，可那個截止日期還壓在某人腳底下。

先給出誇獎，再用 Aren't you? 追一句，把自謙的臺階堵死。

You ought to be X. Aren't you?

真心誇朋友又不想讓他推辭時用；對上級這樣說會顯得沒分寸。

You should be proud. Don't you think? ／ You must be pleased. Aren't you?

中性

ought to 弱讀，proud 重讀，Aren't you 尾音上揚。

You ought to be very proud of that report. Aren't you? 你該為那份報告感到非常自豪。是不是？

一句輕描淡寫的對照，把無罪釋放後的尊嚴和之前的羞辱擺在一起，餘味很苦。

They didn't call me X when they ...

用今昔對照表達委屈或諷刺時用；正式致辭或安慰剛獲釋的人時慎用這種自嘲。

Nobody called me sir when they arrested me. ／ They use my title now, not back then.

中性

Mr Vole 稍揚，They didn't call me 平，charged 收重。

They didn't call me doctor when I was a student. 我當學生的時候他們可沒叫我博士。