a pox on't去他的

用神父和骑士对举，把认怂包装成挑队友，一句自嘲化解了临阵的尴尬。

I would rather go with A than B

要在两件差事里挑更稳妥的一件时，可以套这个比较；真上战场别说。

I would rather sit this one out. ／ I would sooner stay with the priest than the knight.

literary

rather 重读，priest 与 knight 两个名词都点一下。

I would rather go with sir priest than sir knight on a job like this. 这种活儿，我宁愿跟着神父先生，也不跟骑士先生。

把心虚说成只差一根稻草，自曝其短的坦率反而显得可爱。

A little thing would make me ...

自嘲底气不足、关键时刻要掉链子时用；对上级别这么说。

A little more and I would break. ／ One push and I would admit I am no hero.

literary

a little thing 轻快，lack of a man 逐词放慢加重。

A little thing would make me tell them how much I lack of a man before the speech. 上台前再来一点刺激，我就要承认自己一点底气都没有了。

用脚步落地作比，把对方必然得手写得像地心引力一样躲不开。

as surely as X does Y

形容报应或反击来得又快又准时，可以这么说；正式文书不要用。

He answers as surely as day follows night. ／ The reply comes as surely as clockwork.

literary

as surely as 连读，feet 与 ground 两个重音落地。

Criticism follows that author as surely as your feet hit the ground. 批评跟着那位作者，就像脚落地一样必然。

把生死决斗说成 mortal arbitrament，再补一句「细节不知」，既抬高事态又留了退路。

I know ... is incensed against you, even to a mortal arbitrament, but nothing more.

转述冲突、添油加醋时用，带古典腔；正式汇报要如实，别夸张。

I know he is furious, ready to fight to the death. ／ He is enraged beyond reason, or so I hear.

literary

I know the youth is incensed 平推，even to a mortal arbitrament 重读，but nothing more 放慢收住。

I know the client is incensed against you, even to a mortal arbitrament, but nothing more. 我知道客户被你激怒了，甚至要撕破脸，但内情我不清楚。

三个形容词一路加码，把「对手很可怕」吹到顶点，恐吓也是门修辞。

He is the most skillful, bloody, and fatal opposite ...

半开玩笑地夸大对手实力时用，带古典腔；正式评估风险要克制，别吹。

He is the deadliest opponent in the whole land. ／ You could not have found a more fatal rival.

literary

the most skillful, bloody, and fatal 逐词加重，opposite 稍顿，in any part of Illyria 放慢收住。

He is the most skillful, bloody, and fatal opposite in this league. 他是这个联赛里最老练、最凶、最致命的对手。