open/close all folders
Anime and Manga
"I said... once I finished the story, I'd do this. (gets a prompt asking if she wants to delete her story) So... (clicks yes) All that's left is me."
— Shizuku Hoshikawa, The Summer You Were There
Comic Books
"Cable... YOU'RE RELIEVED OF YOUR DUTY."
Justin: How long does he have?
Norman: Not long.
Justin: So he's going to die.
Norman: Yes.
Justin: So, no matter what, he's going to die?
Norman: [Eye Take] Shaw?
Shaw: Taken care of, sir.
Norman: Not long.
Justin: So he's going to die.
Norman: Yes.
Justin: So, no matter what, he's going to die?
Norman: [Eye Take] Shaw?
Shaw: Taken care of, sir.
Fan Works
"General Iroh? We'll find him. He escaped our attack on his base near Ba Sing Se but we got his son."
Ozai had a creeping suspicion that got meant something far darker. His nephew was most likely dead.
Ozai had a creeping suspicion that got meant something far darker. His nephew was most likely dead.
"Okay people, Jazzman is no longer in charge of this operation, he has retired and by retired I mean I blew him the hell up!"
— Damien, RWBY: Destiny of Remnant
Film — Animated
Black Mask: When he shows up to shut us down, have a party waiting for him... and when I say "party", I actually mean a whole lot of people who are gonna kill him!
Ms. Li: I figured.
Black Mask: Just being clear.
Ms. Li: I figured.
Black Mask: Just being clear.
Kuzco: Okay, I admit it. Maybe I wasn't as nice as I should have been. But Yzma, you really wanna kill me?!
Yzma: Just think of it as... you're being let go. That your life's going in a different direction. That your body is part of a permanent outplacement.
Kronk: Hey, that's kinda like what he said to you when you got fired.
Yzma: I know. It's called a "cruel irony". Like my dependence on you.
Yzma: Just think of it as... you're being let go. That your life's going in a different direction. That your body is part of a permanent outplacement.
Kronk: Hey, that's kinda like what he said to you when you got fired.
Yzma: I know. It's called a "cruel irony". Like my dependence on you.
"Thanks a ton, Wonderboy! But at least I've got one swell consolation prize! A friend of yours, who's dying to see me!"
—Hades, Hercules
Film — Live Action
"The report read 'Routine retirement of a replicant'. That didn't make me feel any better about shooting a woman in the back."
— Rick Deckard, Blade Runner
Dragon: One of our agents has been killed in Zurich by two men. We want you to sanction them.
Hemlock: I'm sorry, you're going to have to get someone else to do your wetwork.
Dragon: Please! That is a distasteful phrase.
Hemlock: Call it what you want: wetwork, terminations, sanction... it all adds up to the same thing. Killing.
Hemlock: I'm sorry, you're going to have to get someone else to do your wetwork.
Dragon: Please! That is a distasteful phrase.
Hemlock: Call it what you want: wetwork, terminations, sanction... it all adds up to the same thing. Killing.
"We have a new directive from M.A.F. on this. In the future, in place of 'search and destroy', substitute the phrase 'sweep and clear'. Got it?"
— Lt. Lockhart, Full Metal Jacket
"Look after Mr. Bond. See that some harm comes to him."
— Hugo Drax, Moonraker
Oskar Schindler: I made Goeth promise to put in a good word for you. Nothing bad is going to happen to you there — you'll receive special treatment.
Itzhak Stern: The directives coming in from Berlin talk about "special treatment" more and more often. I'd like to think that's not what you mean.
Itzhak Stern: The directives coming in from Berlin talk about "special treatment" more and more often. I'd like to think that's not what you mean.
"My girls, sir, they didn't care for the Overlook at first. One of them actually stole a packet of matches and tried to burn it down. But I... corrected them, sir. And when my wife tried to prevent me from doing my duty, I... corrected her."
— Delbert Grady, The Shining
Literature
Filed in locked cabinets of government agencies and the "Capitalist Atrocity" stacks of leftist agitators, these other stories detailed the annihilation of Indian tribes, spoke of "examples" made by chainsaw mutilation, "police actions" fought with Thompson submachine and Browning machine guns against machetes and rocks. The use of a "field-expedient" napalm — crude oil mixed with gasoline and dropped from a thousand feet in 50-gallon drums — became a standard device in Monroe's so-called Indigenous Education Program.
Quarantine.
It was just a way of saying what could not be said over any channel of communication, no matter how secure. Because it was something that could not even be said in the chambers of the high command.
The stated goal would be to quarantine.
The orders would say to quarantine.
But what everyone would understand is that a quarantine would be impossible to sustain. To enforce a quarantine, the Andalite fleet would be forced to engage. And once they engaged, they would annihilate the planet and every living thing on it. Yeerk and human.
Quarantine was the first step toward genocide.
It was just a way of saying what could not be said over any channel of communication, no matter how secure. Because it was something that could not even be said in the chambers of the high command.
The stated goal would be to quarantine.
The orders would say to quarantine.
But what everyone would understand is that a quarantine would be impossible to sustain. To enforce a quarantine, the Andalite fleet would be forced to engage. And once they engaged, they would annihilate the planet and every living thing on it. Yeerk and human.
Quarantine was the first step toward genocide.
— Animorphs #52: The Sacrifice
"It seems to me, surely, that no one would use the word 'murder' in connection with their own activities; only with those of others. If you yourself are going to murder, you speak of it as 'rubbing him out', 'taking him for a ride', 'getting rid of him', or if you'll excuse the expression, sir, 'liquidating him.' You might even say 'killing him' but surely no one would casually speak of murdering someone. It is too ugly a word; it demands euphemism."
— Henry, Black Widowers, "Nothing Like Murder" by Isaac Asimov
David: You mean... they killed her?
Brother Number One: They ate her. With porridge. That's what "ran away and was never seen again" means in those parts. It means "eaten."
David: Um, and what about "happily ever after?" What does that mean?
Brother Number One: Eaten quickly.
Brother Number One: They ate her. With porridge. That's what "ran away and was never seen again" means in those parts. It means "eaten."
David: Um, and what about "happily ever after?" What does that mean?
Brother Number One: Eaten quickly.
"'Peace-effort'," he echoed, spitting the words out distinctly as if they were a pair of phonetic specimens. "Do you remember what it used to be called — in the middle of the last century?"
A brief silence, then a Stand-in frowned thoughtfully. "Called it 'war', didn't they, John?"
"Precisely." The golden helmet nodded crisply. "'War' — and now 'peace-effort'. Our semantics has progressed. Our present 'security-probe' was once called 'lynch'. 'Social-security' once meant a limited insurance plan, not connoting euthanasia and sterilization for the ellie-moes. And that word 'ellie-moe' — once eleemosynary — was once applied to institutions that took care of the handicapped."
A brief silence, then a Stand-in frowned thoughtfully. "Called it 'war', didn't they, John?"
"Precisely." The golden helmet nodded crisply. "'War' — and now 'peace-effort'. Our semantics has progressed. Our present 'security-probe' was once called 'lynch'. 'Social-security' once meant a limited insurance plan, not connoting euthanasia and sterilization for the ellie-moes. And that word 'ellie-moe' — once eleemosynary — was once applied to institutions that took care of the handicapped."
— Check and Checkmate, by Walter Miller Jr.
"Unauthorized personnel withdraw immediately! Security will take finality action!"
— Deathlands: Ice and Fire
"Tensing is no longer in service." He glanced up at me and gave a nod and went on talking. "No, officially we're calling it suicide."
Now that was spelling it out, wasn't it, not pretty but at least honest — 'no longer in service' was one of those coy little euphemisms coined by the bureaucrats on the third floor: why couldn't they put us down in the records as dead when we came unstuck, or was there something offensive about the idea, something not quite nice, not to be talked about?
Now that was spelling it out, wasn't it, not pretty but at least honest — 'no longer in service' was one of those coy little euphemisms coined by the bureaucrats on the third floor: why couldn't they put us down in the records as dead when we came unstuck, or was there something offensive about the idea, something not quite nice, not to be talked about?
"Do we move on and leave them in the wild, or do we end this?"
— Alpha, Survivor Dogs
Live-Action TV
Saul Goodman: Have you given any thought to sending him on a trip to Belize?
Walter White: Belize?
Saul: Yeah. Belize. You know, where, uh, where Mike went to. Off on a trip to... Belize.
Walter: Saul, you'd better not be saying what I think you're saying. Hank is family!
Saul: I'm just throwing thoughts out there; this is a safe room.
Walter: Jesus, send him to Belize. I'll send you to Belize.
Walter White: Belize?
Saul: Yeah. Belize. You know, where, uh, where Mike went to. Off on a trip to... Belize.
Walter: Saul, you'd better not be saying what I think you're saying. Hank is family!
Saul: I'm just throwing thoughts out there; this is a safe room.
Walter: Jesus, send him to Belize. I'll send you to Belize.
Saul Goodman: We were wondering if maybe this isn't an... Old Yeller-type situation.
Walter White: Old Yeller?
Saul: Yeah. Old Yeller was the best, most loyal dog there ever was. I mean, everyone loved that mutt, but one day he showed up rabid and little Timmy — for Old Yeller's own sake — had to, uh... I mean, you saw the movie.
Walter: ...You're full of colorful metaphors, aren't you, Saul?
Walter White: Old Yeller?
Saul: Yeah. Old Yeller was the best, most loyal dog there ever was. I mean, everyone loved that mutt, but one day he showed up rabid and little Timmy — for Old Yeller's own sake — had to, uh... I mean, you saw the movie.
Walter: ...You're full of colorful metaphors, aren't you, Saul?
Walter White: I'm gonna... I'm gonna talk to him. Make him see reason.
Skyler White: Talk to him. Make him see reason. [Beat] So, I'm clear... these are just euphemisms you're using here, right?note
Skyler White: Talk to him. Make him see reason. [Beat] So, I'm clear... these are just euphemisms you're using here, right?note
Matt Murdock: 'The Incident'... is that what we’re calling it now?
Realtor: Well, it sounds so much better than 'death and destruction raining from the sky, nearly wiping Hell's Kitchen off the map.'
Matt Murdock: Shorter, too.
Realtor: Well, it sounds so much better than 'death and destruction raining from the sky, nearly wiping Hell's Kitchen off the map.'
Matt Murdock: Shorter, too.
The Master: You should send a death squadron... do you call it a death squadron? A deletion squad. No, a recruitment patrol. A human juicing party. To eliminate the three humans left alive on that planet. They're weak. It shouldn't take much.
Ashad: Send three execution units to the surface.
Ashad: Send three execution units to the surface.
"When I said 'take care of the rabbits', I was thinking in a Julie Andrews kind of way. I now realize that you thought I meant sort of an Al Pacino way."
"SITUATION BUDAPEST CONTAINED"
— Samaritan, Person of Interest, "Panopticon"
Keith: I'm afraid, sir, we still have a problem with Detective Harrison.
Leslie: Yes. Mr. Harrison has a peculiar habit of... disrupting my arrangements.
Keith: Would you like me to have him... removed?
Leslie: Yes. Perhaps. Perhaps it would be best if Mr. Harrison were... taken out of the picture...
Alan: Sorry, guys, you're doing it again.
Leslie: [impatient] What, Alan?
Alan: "Have him removed"? "Take him out of the picture"? I thought we agreed at the meeting that these terms are needlessly ambiguous.
Leslie: I... suppose...
Alan: We all agreed that when we wanted somebody murdered — i.e., "deliberately killed to death" — then that's what we're gonna say.
[...]
Leslie: Okay... Please... deal with the Harrison situation.
Alan: See, that's no good!
Keith: Oh, that was perfectly clear!
Alan: What are you talking about, Keith? This is gonna be "Let's hope Professor Ritson meets with a little accident" all over again. We spent nine months hoping Professor Ritson would meet with an accident before Leslie made it clear it was an accident we were supposed to make happen!
Leslie: Yes. Mr. Harrison has a peculiar habit of... disrupting my arrangements.
Keith: Would you like me to have him... removed?
Leslie: Yes. Perhaps. Perhaps it would be best if Mr. Harrison were... taken out of the picture...
Alan: Sorry, guys, you're doing it again.
Leslie: [impatient] What, Alan?
Alan: "Have him removed"? "Take him out of the picture"? I thought we agreed at the meeting that these terms are needlessly ambiguous.
Leslie: I... suppose...
Alan: We all agreed that when we wanted somebody murdered — i.e., "deliberately killed to death" — then that's what we're gonna say.
[...]
Leslie: Okay... Please... deal with the Harrison situation.
Alan: See, that's no good!
Keith: Oh, that was perfectly clear!
Alan: What are you talking about, Keith? This is gonna be "Let's hope Professor Ritson meets with a little accident" all over again. We spent nine months hoping Professor Ritson would meet with an accident before Leslie made it clear it was an accident we were supposed to make happen!
Video Games
"The great eastern city of Caldeum has fallen under the sway of Belial, a lord of Hell. I'd like to have words with him."
— Crusader, Diablo 3
Ungrien: Look, just don't say anything to Maven, will you? I've spent weeks trying to get that right and if she sees how stupid I am, she'll get rid of me.
Dragonborn: There are worse things than being fired.
Ungrien: Yeah... "fired". Sure. That's what I meant.
Dragonborn: There are worse things than being fired.
Ungrien: Yeah... "fired". Sure. That's what I meant.
Meteion: Return to the star? Does that mean... die?
Hythlodeaus: Well now, that's not a word I hear often... is that what you say in Elpis?
Hythlodeaus: Well now, that's not a word I hear often... is that what you say in Elpis?
"Jameson Locke, ex-ONI Acquisitions Specialist — fancy name for a hitman, that."
— Cortana, Halo 5: Guardians
Rekka: There you are, little man! Messing with Rekka's CREW, Rekka's PRODUCTION, and, worst of all... Yeah, Rekka's perfect no-defect RECORD!
Chai: Your security tried to kill ME!
Rekka: (brandishes contract) Project Armstrong EULA. Fine print. Shoulda read it, PUNK! DEFECTS get recalled!
Chai: Uh, recalled? You mean "killed?"
Rekka: Rekka ain't pick the verbs! (scoffs) That's for the mooks in marketing.
Chai: Your security tried to kill ME!
Rekka: (brandishes contract) Project Armstrong EULA. Fine print. Shoulda read it, PUNK! DEFECTS get recalled!
Chai: Uh, recalled? You mean "killed?"
Rekka: Rekka ain't pick the verbs! (scoffs) That's for the mooks in marketing.
"I have a surprise for youuuuuuu~!"
— The Killer, The Jackbox Party Pack
"Well... allow me to elaborate. In compliance with the business plan drafted by Star Dream... effective today, you are... terminated!"
— President Haltmann, Kirby: Planet Robobot
"Unregistered reinforced body. Standard body modification acts included, a total of 76 violations detected. You are subject to an additional inspection.
Additional inspection category... autopsy."
Additional inspection category... autopsy."
— Mago City Gate, SANABI
"Do your best to forget any mention of a 'third' in all this. Digging into that little tidbit would likely get the attention of the Magicians.
Fun fact: Magicians do more than magic."
Fun fact: Magicians do more than magic."
— Kirsten Geary, The Secret World
"Are you ready to visit the promised land?"
"This is it. Are you [ERROR] ready to ascend to the higher plane?"
"The promised land awaits. Are you ready to join something bigger than yourself?"
"This is it. Are you [ERROR] ready to ascend to the higher plane?"
"The promised land awaits. Are you ready to join something bigger than yourself?"
— Telephone, Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion
Sienna: Met [a Chaos Dwarf] on the Cathayan Silk Road, years back. We... disagreed.
Bardin: Disagreed? Disagreed? He's all ashes now, I take it?
Sienna: Oh, yes.
Bardin: "Disagreed." Ha!
Bardin: Disagreed? Disagreed? He's all ashes now, I take it?
Sienna: Oh, yes.
Bardin: "Disagreed." Ha!
"Don't you wish for eternal bliss?"
— Cursed Krussy upon spotting the player, Dave.EXE
Web Animation
Al Capone: I just provide the city with a valuable commodity. While "doing away" with the competition.
Reporter: You mean you murder people?
Capone: Whoooah! Who said anything about murder? I just, you know, force my rivals "underground".
Reporter: When you do the thing with the hands, it seems like you're talking about murder.
Capone: WOOOOAH! Look at you with the brains. No, I just help people retire... "from life".
Reporter: So murder?
Capone: WHOOOOOOAAAAAAAH—
Reporter: You mean you murder people?
Capone: Whoooah! Who said anything about murder? I just, you know, force my rivals "underground".
Reporter: When you do the thing with the hands, it seems like you're talking about murder.
Capone: WOOOOAH! Look at you with the brains. No, I just help people retire... "from life".
Reporter: So murder?
Capone: WHOOOOOOAAAAAAAH—
— OverSimplified, "Prohibition"
Webcomics
Ennesby: By the time I get [the tanks] into position to threaten the enemy, this action will have long since been resolved.
Kevyn: "Resolved." What a tidy word that is. So prim about the doom it spells.
Ennesby: The general uses it to gloss over the tediously violent bits in his war stories.
Kevyn: "Resolved." What a tidy word that is. So prim about the doom it spells.
Ennesby: The general uses it to gloss over the tediously violent bits in his war stories.
Web Original
"You'll notice I said 'killed' instead of 'terminated'. That's a deliberate choice. On the Ethics Committee, we don't use euphemisms."
Web Videos
Integra: Whatever you do, do not let Alucard leave that room! Under any circumstance!
Seras: Actually, he just left. He said he was 'going for a walk'.
Integra: NO!
Seras: Actually, he just left. He said he was 'going for a walk'.
Integra: NO!
Integra: Fuck it, dropping the formalities. Alucard! Go for a walk.
Alucard: When hope is gone, undo this lock... and send me forth on a moonlit walk. Release restraint level... ZERO.
Alucard: When hope is gone, undo this lock... and send me forth on a moonlit walk. Release restraint level... ZERO.
— Hellsing Abridged, episode 8
"Most fish, if you take them out of the water, become a bit of a downer. And by a downer, I mean dead."
— True Facts, "True Facts About the Mudskipper"
Whoops, looks like they cut the feed!
But I think they're just allowing me
To be more vulgar, to be more violent!
I'll be the Noise, AND YOU'LL BE SILENT!
But I think they're just allowing me
To be more vulgar, to be more violent!
I'll be the Noise, AND YOU'LL BE SILENT!
Laudna: This is such an interesting perspective! You're having people die on your name!
Cyrus: Nobody's died by my name, [the Corsairs] just took care of 'em.
Laudna: ...what do you think that means?
(Beat)
Cyrus: Ohhh, no...
Ashton: Did you ever have a puppy that had to go up continent?
Cyrus: Nobody's died by my name, [the Corsairs] just took care of 'em.
Laudna: ...what do you think that means?
(Beat)
Cyrus: Ohhh, no...
Ashton: Did you ever have a puppy that had to go up continent?
Western Animation
Jake: Prismo said, "take care of him".
Finn: Yeah, that means "make him feel better".
Jake: Are you being stupid on purpose?
Finn: Yeah, that means "make him feel better".
Jake: Are you being stupid on purpose?
—Adventure Time, "Crossover"
"Now I see banishment was too lenient a punishment for you. Your punishment will be far steeper."
— Fire Lord Ozai, Avatar: The Last Airbender, "The Day of Black Sun, Part 2: The Eclipse"
"I can't wait to be an only child!"
— Princess Azula, Avatar: The Last Airbender, "The Southern Raiders"
Blackout target Victor, Echo, November, Seven-Niner is in daddy's lap. Repeat, in daddy's lap. Call off Blackout Team. Daddy is going to put the boys to bed himself. [Beat] ...Yes, I'm going to kill them! It's a very simple metaphor!
— Phantom Limb, The Venture Brothers, "Victor Echo November"
Real Life
"In the meantime, the Chiefs of the Security Service and Police had prohibited emigration of Jews due to the dangers of an emigration in wartime and the possibilities of the East. Another possible solution of the problem has now taken the place of emigration, i.e., the evacuation of the Jews to the East, provided The President gives the appropriate approval in advance. These actions are, however, only to be considered provisional, but practical experience is already being collected which is of the greatest importance in relation to the future final solution of the Jewish question."
