英语里面的委婉语

厕所 bathroom
身体机能是文雅人士需避免的话题。

（Bodily functions are "taboo" in polite company.）
▌restroom
▷Can I use the restroom?
我可以用下洗手间吗？
▷Where can I wash my hands?
哪儿有洗手间？
▌public conveniences
▷Are there any public conveniences nearby?
附近可有公共卫生间？
▌ladies / gents
▷The ladies and gents are down the corridor on your right.
女士和男士卫生间就在你右手边的走廊里。

还有一些幽默表达：
▌the smallest room of the house
房子里最小的一间屋，这种诙谐说法于20世纪30年代出现在英文里，现在已经有些过时，较少被使用。

▷I'd like to pay a visit to the smallest room of the house.
我要去参观一下厕所。

▌powder my nose
女士用补妆来委婉表达上厕所，当然爱开玩笑的男士也可以这么说。

▷Where can I powder my nose?
我上哪儿能补个粉？
▌see a man about a dog
这种说法原始意思是指为赛马或者赛狗下注，后来通常作为离开或缺席的借口。

原因通常是去上厕所，或者买酒。

▷He's gone to see a man about a dog.
他去方便了。

失业unemployment
▌between jobs
在前一个和后一个工作之间，也就是待业啦。

▷Interviewer: Tell me about your current position.
面试官：请告诉我你目前的职位。

▷Job candidate: I'm between jobs right now.
求职者：我目前暂时待业。

▌a resting actor
这种说法多指演员。

▷Harry's a resting actor.
哈利是个待业演员。

怀孕pregnancy
▌expect
即期待婴儿出生。

▷His wife is expecting.
他妻子怀孕了。

▷She is expecting in March.
她预产期是三月。

▌have a bun in the oven
烤箱里有面包了。

英式英语，诙谐用法。

▷Have you heard that Katy has a bun in the oven?
你听说没，Katy有啦？
▌in the family way
这是比较老式的说法（old-fashioned）。

▷Have you heard that Jean's in the family way?
你听说没，Jean怀上啦？
▷They plan to get married now that he's put her in the family way.
他弄大了她的肚子，俩人只好结婚。

喝醉drunk
▌tired and emotional
这是一种较为礼貌和幽默的方式表示某人喝醉了。

▷
You must excuse me, I'm a bit tired and emotional just now. I think I'd best be going home.
请原谅我，我眼下醉意朦胧，最好还是回家吧。

▌have a bit too much to drink
也就是喝多了。

▷He had a bit too much to drink last night.
他昨晚喝多了。

▌to be a bit worse for wear
The worse for wear是指衣服穿久，破烂不堪的样子。

如果某人喝太多，走路东倒西歪，形象全无，那么你就可以用这个表达来形容他醉的程度。

▷The three came stumbling in, the worse for wear again.
这三人跌跌撞撞进门，又是烂醉如泥的。

▷John looked a bit worse for wear as he got home.
约翰到家的时候看起来醉得一塌糊涂。

撒谎lying
▌economical with the truth
很少提供实情的，谎话连篇的。

▷
I discovered that my boss had been economical with the truth when she said t hat the company was making money.
我发现老板说公司盈利其实隐瞒了真相。

争吵 arguments
▌full and frank discussion
表面意思即深入而坦率的探讨，这是一种礼貌的说法，表示争吵或责难（reprimand）。

▷The directors had a full and frank discussion in the meeting.
主管们在会上争执不休。

▌have words with someone
Words（注意是复数）有口角、争论（altercation）的意思。

这个表达指可以指吵架，也可以指训斥某人。

▷Elaine had words with Tony over his driving habits.
伊莲和托尼因为后者的开车习惯问题而吵起来。

▷If Pete keeps on pushing Billy I'm going to have words with him.
如果皮特老这样逼比利，我可要好好找他谈谈了。

穷being poor
▌be disadvantaged
Disadvantaged，即处境不利的，生活条件差的、经济地位低下的……
The government is introducing new schemes to help the disadvantaged.
政府引入了新计划，帮助条件差的人群。

▌financially embarrassed
经济拮据、财产情况窘迫的
▷ I'm afraid I can't come to the restaurant with you. I'm financially embarrassed at the moment.
抱歉我不能和你去下馆子了，我目前手头拮据。

死亡death
▌pass away 过世
这是很常见的代替die这个词的表达，带有哀悼和尊敬的意味。

▷Her uncle passed away last year.
她叔叔去年过世了。

▌lost his/her battle 被病魔打败
一般指人和病魔抗争，最终没能战胜病魔而死去。

▷My brother lost his battle with lung cancer years ago.
我哥哥几年前在和肺癌的抗争中去世。

▌meet one's Maker 去见造物主
这是稍微诙谐一点的说法，注意这个Maker要大写，有造物主的意思，所以去见造物主了就是灵魂回归了，就像我们会说某人“去见马克思了”。

▷He knew that he came into the world with nothing and that he would go to meet his Maker with empty hands.
他知道自己一无所有来到世上，也将会两手空空离开人间。

▷He's gone to meet his Maker.他去见造物主了。

▌six feet under 六尺之下
这是指人死后被埋在六尺黄土之下，也不是特别严肃的说法。

▷I won't worry about money when I'm six feet under.
我入土了以后，也就不用再为钱财劳心了。

▌pushing up daisies 坟头长草
这种说法的意思是，人被埋入地下后，坟墓上会长出野花来。

通常用在将来时中，不是严肃的用法。

▷I'll be pushing up daisies before this problem is solved.
等这问题解决了，我差不多也该告别人世了。

▷If you talk to me like that again, you'll be pushing up the daisies.
你要再敢这么跟我说话，你就死定了。

▌in one's box 进棺材
非正式说法，俚语。

▷When I'm in my box you can argue all you like about the inheritance.
等我进了棺材，你再去争遗产吧，想怎么争怎么争。

宠物安乐死 Animal euthanasia
宠物也是家庭成员，如果养的宠物正遭受病痛折磨，很多主人会考虑让它们解脱痛苦（put it out of its misery），也就是animal euthanasia（安乐死）。

▌put down
▷We had to put our cat down as she was very ill.
我们不得不让我们的猫安乐死，她已经病入膏肓了。

▌put an end to its suffering
▷We put an end to her suffering.
我们让她解脱病痛了。

外貌年龄
高矮胖瘦和年龄也是人们的敏感点，fat、thin、old这种词当面最好还是不要说，太容易冒犯人（cause offense）。

下面给出一些机智的替代词（alternatives），注意在使用的时候，最好再加上些缓和语气的修饰词，比如"a bit"或"a little" 。

▌Alternatives to "fat" 胖还能怎么说
▷overweight; heavy 体重偏重
▷plump [plʌmp] 丰满
▷a bit chubby 圆乎乎的，chubby ['tʃʌbi] 尤其多用于形容小朋友
▷curvy ['kə:vi]; curvaceous [kə:'veiʃəs] （指女性）曲线丰满
▷statuesque [,stætju'esk] 高大结实
▷well-built / a big man （指男性）结实、高大
▌Alternatives to "thin" 瘦还能怎么说
▷slim; slender 苗条纤细
▷petite 娇小，尤指女性
▷wiry ['waiəri] 瘦而结实（一点脂肪都没有）
▌Alternatives to "old" 老还能怎么说
▷a pensioner ['penʃ(ə)nə] 领养老金者，退休老人
▷elderly 长者
▷a senior citizen 年长公民▷middle-aged 中年人。