自從有了微信等即時通訊工具，好像打電話的人越來越少了。不過，有些很重要的事情還是得通過電話才能說清楚。有些事，直接打電話跟對方說可能有點尷尬，但是不說又不行，于是有些人就選擇語音留言。

Stealth call is when you have to call someone back but don't want to really talk to them, so you wait until you know they can't talk and leave a voice mail.
“逃避電話”（stealth call）指當(dāng)你不得不給誰回電話，但是又真的不想和他們直接講話時，你就瞅準(zhǔn)時間，在一個他們不可能接電話的點打過去，這樣直接在語音信箱留言就行。

比如下面這個例子：

I don't want to tell Karen I can't make it tonight, so I'll Stealth-call her when she's on her flight and has her phone shut off.
我不想親口跟凱倫說我今晚去不了，所以我趁她還在飛機(jī)上、手機(jī)關(guān)機(jī)的時候打電話過去。

說到打電話，那么我們就順便說一說跟打電話相關(guān)的另外幾個說法。一個是手機(jī)裝在褲兜里被誤撥出去的電話，叫butt call；另外一個是出去相親前跟朋友約好，過20分鐘打電話把你解救出來的“解困電話”，英文為escape call。

我們分別來看看這兩個說法的英文解釋：

Butt call refers to an unintended phone call placed by sitting on one's cell phone. Maybe the phone bumped up against something in a purse or briefcase, or rubbed up against a seat belt. Or maybe the phone fell on the floor. Maybe the person just sat on their phone—which explains why some industry insiders call inadvertent dialing "butt calls."
Butt call（誤撥電話）指誤坐在手機(jī)上而撥出的電話。也可能是手機(jī)放在錢包或公文包里碰到了什么東西，或者碰到安全帶了。也或許是手機(jī)掉到地板上了。甚至可能是有人坐在手機(jī)上了——這也正是業(yè)內(nèi)人士把“誤撥電話”稱為butt call的原因。

跟butt call相似的另一個說法是pocket call，即手機(jī)放在衣服口袋里不小心碰到通話鍵而撥出的電話。

Escape call is a planned call or beep from a co-worker that allows you to feign an emergency in order to escape a particularly boring or meaningless meeting, or from a friend that helps you escape from an unsatisfying, even embarrassing blind date.
Escape call就是無聊會議期間接到事先安排好的同事來電，好讓你佯裝出了緊急狀況逃離那個毫無意義的會議；或是相親過程中朋友打來幫你逃離不滿意對象、從尷尬約會中救出的那通電話，我們統(tǒng)稱為“解困來電”。

（中國日報網(wǎng)英語點津 Helen）