eligible bachelor条件最好的单身汉

一句就给一个人估了价，家世、财产、姻缘全在这几个词里，晚宴的势利味扑面而来。

X is the most eligible bachelor in ...

长辈盘点谁家子弟条件好时用，当事人当面听着会尴尬，别对着本人说。

He's the best catch in town. ／ She's the most eligible match around here.

中性

重音落在 most 与 eligible，county 收尾稍降。

Everyone calls him the most eligible bachelor in the county. 大家都说他是本郡条件最好的单身汉。

前半句说地方冷清，后半句却反过来说没有秘密，一句话把乡村的寂寞和窥探味说透。

We none of us have any ... here.

半开玩笑地提醒新来的人，这地方人少却藏不住事，语气轻松，别用在正式场合。

Nobody keeps anything to themselves round here. ／ There are no secrets in a place like this.

口语

none of us 连读成 none-a-us，secrets 末尾的 ts 轻收。

We none of us have any privacy in a small town. 在小镇上，我们谁都没有隐私。

不辩解也不发火，只用 perfectly well 把对方的装傻戳破，克制里全是锋芒。

You know perfectly well (that) ...

对装糊涂、明知故问的人点破时用，对长辈或上级这样说不免冲撞。

You know exactly what happened. ／ Don't pretend you don't know.

中性

perfectly well 重读，there is 轻快带过。

You know perfectly well that I never agreed to this. 你心里清楚，我从没答应过这事。

六七个词就把乡下人守不住秘密的实情说成一句俏皮自白，短得能记住。

If we do, we do not ... long.

自嘲藏不住事时用，朋友闲聊合适，严肃承诺的场合别拿它当保证。

Whatever we know, it gets out quickly. ／ We can't keep a secret for long.

口语

If we do 连成一串，keep them 里 them 弱读成 'em。

If we do hear anything, we won't keep it long. 我们要是听到什么，也瞒不了多久。

bound to 把姻缘说成命中注定，配上 do for one of you，长辈拉郎配的精明与热切都在里头。

be bound to do for someone

长辈半开玩笑地断定某人迟早归谁时用，认真谈婚论嫁别这么说，显得轻率。

One of you is bound to end up with him. ／ He's sure to fall for one of you.

口语

bound to 连读，do for 轻快带过，后半句收得干脆。

With that smile, he's bound to win one of them over. 就凭那笑容，他准能赢得她们中一个的心。