用法学习: 1. take the bloom off to remove the enjoyment or ultimate satisfaction from; dampen the enthusiasm over. The coach's illness took the bloom off the team's victory. the bloom is off [the rose] the excitement, enjoyment, interest, etc., has ended or been dampened. Something, someone, or some situation is no longer as exciting, novel, or interesting as it first was, likened to (usually) a flower or fruit that is no longer in its most appealing condition. Everyone had very high hopes for the newly elected senator, but she accomplished little in her first term, and I'm afraid the bloom is off at this point. After four years, it just feels like the bloom is off our relationship. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich wrote Wednesday on X that "the scale of the Republican defeat is so great that it makes the race for the GOP presidential nomination wide open. A good bit of the luster has come off the bloom".
slow horses: 1. I'm trying to place you 在想哪里见过你. You're the bloke that walks around our local park picking up dog shit. We danced once ("We danced once" means "we've had a fight before," a run-in where you came off worse. It's tough-guy slang, used ironically because fighting involves two people circling each other, a bit like dancing.). Next time I'll put you down. Dream on, sir. I could take you down with an eyelash. 2. They're ex-military. You can tell that by looking? Oh, yeah, they walk around like they got a bayonet 刺刀 stuck up their arse, and spend three hours a day in the gym, which means their clothes don't fit. So mercs? No. Mercs are fucking lunatics. No, these guys, uh, they're organized, controlled. Private security then? Who's big enough to try and penetrate the Park? There are three firms that can mount 发动 that kind of op. Stormbreak and Strike Force– Jesus Christ. Fucking names. Why don't they just go for Rock Hard Cocks? Well, Stormbreak's guys are all tied up in Syria. And I know for a fact that Strike Force are about to take out 对付, 干掉 a Liberian warlord. Because? I'm doing the logistics. What's the third option? Chieftain. New dicks on the block. Ran by a Sly Monteith. I hate to judge a person on their name alone, but he sounds like an absolute ponce. Old Etonian (Etonian [iːˈtəʊniən] An Etonian (often called an Old Etonian if a graduate) is a current pupil or a former student of Eton College, the historic independent boarding school for boys in Berkshire, England.), well-connected, went to school with half the Cabinet. Hmm. Well, my judgment stands. Yeah. Now he's living his wet dream of having his own private army. But a hell of a move for him to make, to kidnap and blackmail Service agents. I mean, who's gonna pay for him to do that? Other than a hostile foreign power, which would land him in all sorts of shit back here. Huh. I can think of someone. Oh, for fuck's sake. 3. Go meet Louisa at Chieftain. They're the twats behind all of this. She'll fill you in. But the headline is 简略说, 简单说 they hired a team with a hidden agenda, still holding Standish. Is it not on the way? Can I not just come with you? 4. As many of you are aware, there was an incursion ( I. 入侵, 闯入. a sudden and unwanted entrance to a place or area controlled by others, esp. in a military attack. a sudden attack on or act of going into a place, especially across a border: incursions into enemy territory. II. formal an occasion when people suddenly involve themselves in another person's private situation. ) this morning. An uncleared agent acquired access to a restricted area. This was part of an exercise that neither I nor anyone else in MI5 was aware of. An exercise we failed. Pending this, there will be a full review of security systems. Back to work. 5. We've had our differences, Ingrid, but I would hate to see you forced out by someone like Judd. My ultimate loyalty lies with you and the Service. I can't believe I'm saying that out loud. Well, I'm not sure how long I'll last. Given he now has this failure to use to push me around. What does he want? To bring in the private sector. Specifically Chieftain. Oh, he'll never get that through. Not now. There's been a holdup. Lamb says the tiger team have their own agenda. Have they made contact with him over Standish? No, he found a flat with their prep. Apparently they want to see the Grey Books. Well, that's never gonna happen. Have you heard anything from Chieftain about any of this? Not a peep. Do you want me to ask? No. If there's any mess, it's theirs. They can clean it up. That's what I thought. Thank you, Diana. We have to limit the collateral damage here. Oh. Poor Standish. I wasn't meaning her, I was talking about us. But yes. Hopefully she'll come through unscathed. 6. He's returning the missing diamond, supposedly. I didn't ask you. I asked him. I've returned the missing diamond, actually. And I'm taking him to get it examined and verified. You can do that by yourself. I need to talk to Cartwright. Ma'am, technically you no longer have oversight of me or the Dogs. I still have oversight of the Slow Horses. Lucky me. Come on, Cartwright. I want you back in my office when she's done with you. If I have to come looking, it's not gonna be pretty. 7. I don't want you in this building ever. You are the bane of my career. When you show up, frogs start raining from the sky and blood pours from the taps. I was returning the missing diamond. I don't care about the diamond. The fact that it was missing made Duffy look like a fool, which I was rather enjoying. Until you messed that up like you mess everything up. Well, I didn't mean to mess anything up. Oh, shut up. Because of your rolling disasters… I have been put in charge of moving boxes around. And you and the other quarter-wits at Slough House are making a meal out of even that(make a meal (out) of something UK disapproving to spend more time or energy doing something than is necessary: I only asked for a summary of the main points but she's making a real meal out of it. ). Well, it is a lot of boxes, to be fair. I don't want excuses. I want you to never have happened. Feels like I should go. Yeah. Yes. Keep walking until you get to the sea. And when you get to the sea, keep walking with your mouth open. You know the way out. 8. They need that last box. Got it. Have you checked it? Yep. It doesn't look like it. It's still got the old tape. Yeah, well, I stuck it down ( stick down 重新贴上 I. To cause something to remain flat or fastened down (on some surface) by applying some kind of adhesive substance. I had such awful bedhead that I had to use gel to stick my hair down. You can tell the company used really cheap glue to stick down these labels, because they've already begun to peel away. II. To make a note of one's or someone else's desire, request, order, etc. Oh, I love candy apples! Stick me down for a couple 加我一份, 算我一份 if you're getting some! I'm delighted you've decided to go with our premium option. So, how many will I stick you down for? III. To make a note of one's or someone else's role, position, obligation, etc. You can stick me down as the stage manager for this show. Tom, we're sticking you down as regional manager for the time being until we are able to hire someone new. to write. stick your name down here.) again. I'm being green(be green I. 嫩. To be very young, immature, or inexperienced. Are you sure he's fit to run your campaign? He's very green—I mean, he only graduated from college six months ago. Please don't accept any applications from candidates who are too green. I need an experienced executive secretary, not someone who still needs their diapers changed. The new interns are pretty green, but hopefully they're quick learners. II. 天真. To be very naïve. The con artist could tell the mark was green from a mile off. I'm not green, I can recognize an email scam, thank you very much! Don't think you can fool me with that old ruse—I'm not green, you know. III. 环保 To be environmentally conscious or designed not to have an adverse impact on the environment. This year, our department is trying to focus on all the ways we can be more green. Is this "recycled content" label legit? I wonder if this product is really green. In an effort to be green, we had solar panels installed on our roof. IV. 嫉妒. To be envious of someone else. A: "What do you think of the new car?" B: "I'm delighted for you, but I'm definitely quite green!" When I was a kid, I threw my brother's birthday cake on the floor because I was green with envy that it wasn't my birthday. As a parent, you've got to always make sure things are split evenly between your kids, or they'll be being green.). Did you itemize 清点 it(If you itemize a number of things, you make a list of them. to list things separately, often including details about each thing: itemized bill 分列的 We asked for an itemized bill, listing all our phone calls and how long they were. Itemise your gear and mark major items with your name and post code. ...a fully itemised bill. )? What does it matter? No one's gonna read this stuff ever again. Yes, but we're still supposed to itemize it. It's pointless. These files are all Ringo-level, the lowest-grade record the Park has. Shows you what they think of us. They'll think a lot less of us if we can't even do this simple job properly. Catherine, this is the equivalent of filling a storage unit full of crap for your kids to sort through once you've died. We've been asked to do it, so we should do it well. You need to get back up those stairs and itemize it. No, not happening. And plus, the van needs to go. I'd rather the box went tomorrow, when you've been through the contents. Nope. This isn't even taped up properly. 9. So, Sly. Now, that's a terrible name. What's it short for? Slime? I don't know who you are, but you should know that I own a private security firm, which means I have some very dangerous people in my pay. Yeah. Too fucking right they're dangerous. 10. He got away. Flagged down a car. So now we're on the clock. I got a call from MI5. I have to go to the facility. So Standish needs to come through ( I. If a piece of information or a document comes through, you receive it: Have the test results come through yet? My visa still hasn't come through. II. If an emotion comes through 显而易见, other people can notice it: His nervousness came through when he spoke. III. to manage to get to the end of a difficult or dangerous situation: We've had some hard times, but we've come through. IV. to do something that you have agreed to do or been asked to do: come through with sth He's still hoping the bank will come through with a loan. V. to succeed in a difficult situation: He's a great leader who always comes through under pressure. Investors had faith we would come through for them in the long run. come through something to continue to live after an accident or a difficult or dangerous situation: It was a miracle that he came through that car crash alive. ) now. Already has. How did you get this out of her? She just gave it up. We managed to get through to her. Okay. Well done. So do we let her go? No, they need to think that we still have her for leverage. 11. I'm more use 更有用 with you than I am here. No. No, no. I'm just gonna walk in and walk out. The last time you said that, there was a body left on the pavement. I need to see this through 万无一失. 12. We have to keep you for a little while longer. We picked you for a reason. Oh, this? This is in the new storage facility. And you know all about that. You know what files are in what boxes in what rooms. These are decommissioned documents. They're of no interest– They're of interest to me. This was part of a set of files originally marked for destruction. Then there should be no trouble telling me exactly where it is. I'd be in all sorts of trouble if I did that. You're already in trouble. I know what you're capable of. But that gun to the head was a piece of theater ( Something happens in the newspaper and it's like a piece of theatre, you know? Also, for a piece of theatre plainly in favour of the imagination, this one asks less of ours than it might. ). So you're not going to hurt me. 13. Um, I've got an op. Kind of. To escort Donovan in to see the Grey Books. Right, who did that come from? Tearney. Okay, let's go. Uh, I've got an op. Well, you can't do it on your own, River. Well, she asked me on my own. Oh, you just wanna hog the glory for yourself. It's not about glory. I'm just doing as I'm told. Mm-hmm. Play it down all you want, but you are getting off on a secret solo mission for First Desk without thinking what may go wrong. Wait, what makes you think it'll go wrong? Your track record. Right. Look, I'm offering backup, that's all. I don't need babysitting. My God, your ego is such a blind spot. No, I think I'm pretty self-aware. Ironically, that statement demonstrates a complete lack of self-awareness. Donovan is a dangerous man. He killed Spider. You need backup. It's as simple as that. Sorry, since when did you start keeping a gun in the office? I think it's pretty easy to track that moment. Okay, fine. You can come, but I take the lead. And probably the gun. Nope. I'm keeping the gun. You can make yourself a little sheriff's badge before we go, if it makes you feel tougher. 14. Excuse me. Do you have an appointment? Yes, love. In what name? James Bond to see Mickey Mouse. 15. Attention, weekend warriors. Pack an extra pair of pants. Your collective wet dreams are about to come true. What the fuck is this? General Monteith, your little outfit seems to have overextended. What? Who the fuck are you? Nick Duffy. Dame Ingrid Tearney sent me. From the Park. And in a bit of a switch, the private sector is about to learn from the public. Oh, really? Well, thanks to our man escaping, we now know where Standish is being held. So what you're telling me is that you've finally managed to locate the whereabouts of a team that you hired. Well fucking done, General. We are going to go and apprehend them. No. No, you're not. For a start, you're out of your league. Yeah? Bloody cosplay-paras. Oi, I've served 服过役, 当过兵的. Where? McDonald's? Besides, they're not all gonna be there. Some of them are headed to an MI5 document storage facility. We are all gonna go there and pick 'em up after they've okayed Standish's release. Why should we do this? Because of the mess you made. Your little company is toxic. And we are very kindly offering you a way to rebrand. Take it. So all you lot, saddle up. Whatever the fuck it is you do. And you, spill your fat piggy guts about that tiger team, 'cause I want to know who they are so I can kick their bollocks clean off. 16. Ma'am, we're en route to the facility. Good. I hope you put the shits up Monteith. Yeah. We definitely gave him a spike in blood pressure 血压飙升. Thank you for today, Nick. You've done well. Just doing my job, ma'am. And I hope you'll be doing it for a lot longer for me. So you'll be retaining command from Taverner? Yes, think I will. She's got a lot on her plate. I hope that suits you. Yes, it does, ma'am. 17. They're not hostages, and you're not gonna do anything to them. It's just a game, mate. A big fucking stupid game. Now, I don't know why you're doing this, and I don't care, but I want it to stop. Don't walk away from me, dickhead. Stop. I command you to stop 命令你. I'm late for a lunch at Anna Livia's with the Home Secretary. I can't show my face until Standish is released. Now stop fucking around and tell me where she is. Go to your lunch. Enjoy your hors d'oeuvres. But don't play the big man, you slick twat. I'm not gonna take lessons on being a man from someone who couldn't hold it together 崩溃 when their secret fuck buddy killed herself. Yeah, I read your file, twat. 18. Dame Ingrid. I don't think you've ever been down here. A visit was long overdue. How are you, Molly? Being looked after? No. But that's the way I like it. Shelf 27 is empty. Those are absolute dross 垃圾 ( something that has no use or no value: So much of what's on TV is pure dross. We read all the manuscripts but 95 percent are dross. ). Half of them were in codes we've lost the cipher for. So disposed of as requested? Actually, they were given a last-minute reprieve( reprieve [rɪˈpriːv] 喘息之机, 一线生机 I. an official order that stops or delays the punishment, especially by death, of a prisoner: The warden notified Shaw of his reprieve. He was sentenced to death but was granted a last-minute reprieve. II. an escape from a bad situation or experience: The injection provided a temporary reprieve from the pain. III. A reprieve is also any delay that is welcomed: The play, about to close, was granted a four-week reprieve. verb. I. to stop or delay the punishment, especially by death, of a prisoner. II. to provide something or someone with an escape from a bad situation or experience, especially to delay or stop plans to close or end something: The threatened hospitals could now be reprieved. ). They were moved to the facility. Why the change? No idea. A different box was ticked ( = US checked) 勾选 on a form, is all. Is it a problem? I hope not. If you want a name to tear strips off, Diana Taverner could probably point you towards the culprit. She has oversight of the facility move. Yes, I'll check with her. Thank you, Molly. 19. You know that thing that Lamb said before? About, um… You know, the thing he said that crossed about 15 different HR red lines, for a start. What? About me sleeping around? Yeah. You wondering if he's had me in the stationery cupboard? No. I would-No. What I was gonna say is that it's fine. It's none of his business. Because people process trauma in different ways. I don't understand. What's fine? That. How you're choosing to process your trauma. Ugh. Cartwright, please stop talking. Sorry, I should have said that maybe you should talk to someone. About my sex life? About Min. Right, okay. It's so irritating when people say that. What is there to say that's gonna make any difference? There's nothing. Shit happens. You pick yourself up and move on. And, you know, that's life. You move forward. That's all you can do. You move forward towards your own death. Why don't you go and talk to someone about your constant need to prove yourself to people? They'll tell you it's because you don't know your dad and your mom abandoned you, so you never feel good enough. And trying to live up to your grandfather's legacy only exacerbates your inadequacy. 20. You sure it makes sense to keep Tearney? Well, for the time being. We need to make sure the cultural changes you propose are bedded in (I . (preposition) engineering to fit (parts) together accurately or (of parts) to be fitted together, either through machining or use, as in fitting a bearing to its shaft. II. to make or become settled and able to work efficiently in harmony. ) enough that her successor cannot reverse them. Your guest, Mr. Webb, is here. Mmm. Send him over. I reminded him the dress code is smart-casual, but he was quite curt and dismissive. I will allow it because he's your guest, but if you could have a word… What the fuck are you doing here? I have to keep going higher up to get this sorted out. Fuck me. Every ponce and his brother. I thought the tiger team operation was successfully concluded. It is. Small hiccup. Webb is dealing with it. Well, once you've delivered her back, I'll leave you be. Give us a chip. I'm not sure we've ever properly met. …it feels like we have. I've met plenty of your sort before. If you've come to tell me what you think of me, I should warn you, I have an incredibly thick skin. So your barbs might not wound as much as you hope. Oh, I'm sorry to disappoint. I don't think of you at all. What do you want? Other than Standish. I just wanna be left alone. But then you came along and fucked with my chi. You see, Standish runs my diary. Now, without her, I don't really know what I'm supposed to be doing. So I've got all this spare time to come and fuck with you. 21. I can't find a pulse. His airways are clear, but he's not breathing. Jesus Christ. That's Webb. Who was it who said, uh, "You cannot reason with a tiger when your head is in its mouth(You cannot negotiate or talk sense into a dangerous, predatory adversary once you are already in its power or trapped by its attack. Attempting diplomacy or appeasement in that moment is fatal. The Film Darkest Hour (2017): The specific line is most famous from the historical drama Darkest Hour, where Gary Oldman portrays Winston Churchill. The Scene: Churchill delivers the line to reject peace negotiations or appeasement with Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany during World War II. Historical Accuracy: While popular culture attributes the exact phrasing to Churchill, historians note that the line was crafted for the screen—though it accurately reflects his real-life stance against negotiating with Hitler. It also echoes his earlier 1940 House of Commons warning about feeding a crocodile.)"? Churchill. Oh, but that won't be Webb calling, seeing as he's now outside impersonating roadkill. No, that'll be your tiger team, looking for your head. 22. You did a good job this morning, getting into the Park. Sorry if it came back to bite you. 23. Ah, Cartwright. Sorry. Have we met? No. No. But I know your handiwork. Your itemizing skills are, pardon my French, absolument merde. Which is genuine French for "absolutely shit." Yeah, look, listen. We need to escort these men in to take a peek at the Grey Books. It's unscheduled. Ingrid Tearney sent us. You know who that is? Head of MI5. You wanna give her a call? No need. Said it was unscheduled, not that it wasn't possible. Entrer. 24. Welcome to the domain of Douglas. Right. Would you like the full tour? No. Edited highlights 精选的精华? No. Point us towards the Grey Books, please. Ooh. To my mind, they're the highlights. Crazy shit. Kindly accompany me to the nerve center from where you may proceed. Hey, your hair really has changed color, you know. I know. I was there when it happened. 25. You can shoot me. But it will be in my back, and I am unarmed, which doesn't look very good. That said, you people are very good at covering up murders. Now, we're gonna turn around. We're gonna keep walking until we find what we came here for. No, you're not. Yes, they are. Well, they called your bluff and you were bluffing. Thanks for the collective responsibility. 26. I know what you're going to say. Then why don't you say it for me? That I've bitten off more than I can chew. That I'm meddling with things that don't concern me. That I'm dangerously out of my depth. Close? Bang on. You set a team on MI5 to test our security defenses. And now that team has gone rogue. Well, more than rogue. They dumped a fucking body outside my favorite restaurant. It's gonna have a seriously detrimental effect on the restaurant bookings. That's really what you want to focus on? I know the owner. And I'm also one of the investors. But that's not the point. No, it isn't. Point is, this can't get out. I'd have to resign. And it would completely undermine Chieftain's viability as a business. In which you also have a financial stake. You understand my predicament. I'd love to let you drown in your own swill. But you have tarnished MI5 with this nonsense. So I will clean it up and make it go away. How? We can't give in to them. Leave it to me, the professional. 27. I'm going to let the tiger team into the facility to see the Grey Books. Really? You don't have to do that. You could stall them, track them down. This way, the Home Secretary's tiger team genuinely breach a secure MI5 location, in a way that's harmful to him but not to us. There's nothing of any value in the facility. No, but I am in charge of the facility. Is this gonna come back at me? Of course not, Diana. You have my word. 28. Looks like she's in a house. Well, that narrows it down. Employee of the week. She's flinching. She's got a gun to her head. Mm-mmm. No. She wants to show us something. Zoom in right there on that bit of the wall. Now that does narrow it down. Clever girl. Find the house where those three kids grew up. 29. All right, make this quick. I've got underlings to bully. I'm busy. No one in Slough House is busy. Come on. Get on with it. The tiger team has killed one person and taken two hostages. I don't know what they think they're going to find in the Grey Books, but there's nothing of any value in them. So, I propose to give them what they want so we get the hostages freed quickly, and deal with them later. Okeydoke. I'd like you or your people to escort them in and out. Oh, you would, would you? It's win-win. Trust me. Trust you? Well, that's a topic for another day. You get Standish back quickly. And a favor from me you can call in at anytime. Nah. Nah, I'm good. You know, I've been caught like this before." Oh, sorry, Jackson. We fucked up. Do us a favor. Go through this door, and everything will be sweet." The last time I did that, I walked in and found a severed head on a fucking table. You can clean up your own shit. It's not my shit. No, it's Judd's. And I think you want me to help you roll him in it. 30. What are you gonna tell your wife? About what? About being fired. I wasn't planning on telling her anything. Surprisingly, my wife has very little interest as to whether you're fired. She doesn't even know who you are, mate. We were both fired. Why would he fire me? I wasn't the one caught with coke on me. "You're fucking fired. I've got fucking hemorrhoids that are more fucking use 更有用 than you." That was the message. I know what the message was. He was talking about you. But you'll find out when we get back to Slough House. Hemorrhoids is plural. You don't get single hemorrhoids. Yeah, you do. All right. Well, you'd know. Why would he fire me? Well, because you're a degenerate gambler for one thing. You got repetitive strain injury from spinning roulette. Both hands. No… …the players don't actually spin the roulette themselves. And my little hobby doesn't affect my work unlike your drug habit. No one can tell when I'm high. You do realize that's a bad thing, right? Hundred quid says it's both of us. 31. So what do you think Lamb's got planned once Ho finds the house? Um, well, I guess we ride in and get her. You're actually upset about Spider? I mean, I fucking hated the man. I fucking hated him, but… you know, we were friends once. Really? Yeah. I think he used you a lot. And I think if it was the other way around, he wouldn't really care. 32. I'm calling from the St. Joshua Club where your grandfather was a member. Is a member. There's been a dispute over his membership status– Why are you calling my grandson?Don't you believe what I'm telling you? I've got to go and sort my grandfather out. 32. Well, if I can't come in, could you please send River Cartwright out? I don't know who that is. There isn't anyone else here. I would ask you to come in and take a look, but I will not have– But you don't have Dogs on your floor. Yeah, but I have to override that if you're harboring an intruder. Okay, come on in. But I'll need your details, especially the one who called me a troll. I'll need his name for the HR complaint I'm about to file. 33. My, uh-My balls are hanging a bit lower. But apart from that, all good. How's the drinking? Fine, thanks. No. I mean, how much are you drinking? Oh, I don't know. Uh, two or three bottles a week. Wine? Uh, whiskey. I thought we talked about this. Oh, it doesn't affect my work. And besides, I've got fuck all to do, which is well within my comfort zone. This is a Service medical. There's a limit to the amount of units you can consume a week. Uh, what's the limit? Fourteen. Put that then. I'm not allowed to lie. You're not lying. I am. I told you 14. Put that. Smoking? I quit. Really? Yeah. I haven't had one for-Ooh! Twenty-seven minutes. By some miracle, your blood tests came back okay. There you go. You see, I'm a fucking titan. I'll just take your blood pressure. Then we'll get you on the treadmill. you put me on a treadmill……you'll be done for manslaughter. You need to do some light exercise, an hour's walk a day, and watch what you eat. I think the time has passed for that, don't you? Dodgy vindaloo and some steep steps should finish me off. Can't think of a better way to go. 34. I'll finish that box in the morning. And do the others properly? Yeah. Maybe you should try embracing 接纳 the task rather than fighting it. Embracing it might be a bit of a stretch, but you know, I'll just, um– You know, it's quite tiring, having to chivy you along (chivvy 催着, 逼着, 总是让人说 to encourage someone to do something they do not want to do. If you chivvy someone, you keep telling them to do something that they do not want to do. Don't let the hosts chivvy you into ordering more than you can eat! He chivvies the troops along with a few well-directed words. He kept putting off writing the report so I had to chivvy him along. I had to chivvy him into writing the report.) like this. Well, then don't. Stop being such a martyr about it. I'll see you tomorrow. 35. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry I was– No, it's fine. Hey, I could have lied, saved you the awkwardness, but, um, the drinking started when they died. I blamed myself, internalized it… …and part of my recovery has been about being open about it. You know, dealing with it, not burying it. You can push things away, but sooner or later, you have to deal with them. Hmm. And secrets will always come out. There will always be a reckoning 算账, 算总账的时候. 36. Sorry. I'm lost. Could you show me the way to the North Circular? Um, I'm headed that way. If you give me a lift, I can direct you 指路. You're headed somewhere else.
