FRIENDLY COMMENTS ON CHARACTER AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
"She is never at a loss for a clever answer;" i.e., "A cat whose claws are always out."
"A little stand-offish to strangers, but wonderfully winning when one really knows him;" i.e., "Which one need never do, thank goodness!"
LEGAL.
"As your Lordship pleases;" i.e., "As a Judge, you are a stupid, self-sufficient dolt; but so long as my client, the solicitor, gets his costs, it doesn't matter a jot to me or him what you decide!"
"With your Lordship's permission, my Junior will settle the minutes;" i.e., "And so save us both the trouble of apportioning, in the customary perfunctory fashion, the oyster to the solicitors, and the shells to the clients."
IN THE SMOKING-ROOM.
"You don't mind my telling you exactly where I think you're wrong?" i.e., "You obviously want setting down, and I may as well do it."
"Do you mind just stating that over again?" i.e., "While I think of something to say in reply."
"Of course you know more about the subject than I do;" i.e., "I am pretty sure you never gave it a thought till this minute."