grease the palms给钱打点

把围猎对手说成为民请命，一句话就把私心包装成了公义。

It's not in the public interest to ...

为自己的做法找大义名分、或反驳对方时用；正式辩论里很常见，日常说会显得夸张。

It is not in the public interest to allow this. ／ The public interest demands otherwise.

正式

not in the public interest 连读，interest 重读收尾。

It's not in the public interest to let one firm set all the prices. 让一家公司定所有价格，不符合公众利益。

一句把阴谋的方法论说穿：不用硬碰，进到里面拆。

If we're gonna ..., we should do it from the inside.

讨论怎么从内部瓦解对手或组织时用；用在职场关系里往往不光彩。

Attack it from within. ／ The best way in is from inside.

中性

bring Rearden down 连读，inside 重读点题。

If we're gonna change this company, we should do it from the inside. 要想改变这家公司，就该从内部动手。

不说道德只说实际操作，一句行话就把桌下的交易摆上了台面。

grease the palms of someone

谈行贿打点、通关系时用；本身是贬义，别当面说对方在行贿。

grease someone's palm ／ pay someone under the table

口语

grease the palms 连读，politicians 重读。

They greased a few palms to get the permit. 他们打点了几个人才拿到许可。

不谈主义只问回报，一句就暴露了他加入这桌交易的真实动机。

What will ... get in return?

谈到合作或交换条件、要先问清好处时用；开局就谈回报会显得功利。

What's in it for us? ／ What do we get out of this?

中性

in return 轻读连读，问句尾音上扬。

What will our team get in return for the extra hours? 我们团队多干这些小时能换来什么？

先贬后褒的让步句，一句就把轻视和眼红同时挂在了嘴上。

He may be ..., but he ...

评人时先让步再转折、承认对方有本事时用；适用于闲聊和评论。

He may be lazy, but he has a gift for money. ／ Say what you like, his bets pay off.

口语

may be 重读，pay off 收得干脆。

He may be a slacker, but his ideas always pay off. 他也许懒散，但他的点子总能见成效。

把一份野心说成一个平静的期限，越轻描淡写越显凶狠。

This time next year, ... needs to be a memory.

给自己或团队设定一个必须达成、抹掉旧局面的期限时用，语气强硬。

By this time next year, they'll be gone. ／ A year from now, this will be history.

中性

This time next year 一口气带过，memory 重读收束。

This time next year, this debt needs to be a memory. 到明年这个时候，这笔债就该成为历史了。