hold something over someone拿把柄要挟

一句话给全场定性：没有旁观者，每个人都被卷了进来。

Everyone here was either A or B.

总结一群人、给局面下判断时用；对当事人当面说会显得咄咄逼人。

Everyone in this room is either a victim or a partner. ／ Nobody here is exactly innocent.

正式

either 重读，victim or 连读，句尾放平收。

In this mess everyone was either a helper or a bystander. 这场乱子里，每个人不是帮手就是旁观者。

一句坦白把家底掀开，偷、卖、黑市三个动作干脆得没有辩解。

I stole X and sold them on the black market.

坦白来路不正的钱财时用；正式场合不会这么说。

I took the parts and sold them on the black market. ／ The parts went straight to the black market.

口语

stole 与 essential 连读，black market 两词都重读。

He stole tools from the depot and sold them on the black market. 他从仓库偷工具，拿到黑市上卖。

一句话交代整场局的目的，动词层层递进：作证、指控、逼供。

I got them here so they'd ...

解释自己为什么把某些人凑到一起时用；日常对朋友别这么郑重。

I brought them in so they would testify. ／ The whole point was to make him confess.

中性

got them 连读，so they'd 缩读，confess 重读。

I got the witnesses here so they'd tell the truth. 我把证人叫来，就是为了让他们说实话。

把抛尸和归队写得像顺手干活，越轻描淡写越显凶手的冷血。

Then he ... and nonchalantly rejoined us.

转述一件骇人却轻描淡写的事时能用；严肃场合切忌这种冷幽默。

Then he nonchalantly went back as if nothing had happened. ／ He did it and strolled back to join us.

中性

threw him into the toilet 连读，nonchalantly 重音在第二音节。

He broke the printer and then nonchalantly rejoined the meeting. 他把打印机弄坏了，然后若无其事地回去开会。