Originally posted by: annihilation
Okay, hold. Let me present you a hypothetical situation.
Suppose, we two are neighbours who don't get along well. One fine day, you accuse me of stealing something of yours for which you don't have a proof but you accuse me regardless. I retaliate by saying that not only can't you call me a thief but try telling your father that he's a theif.
I have done two things here, unintentionally or intentionally,
a) dared you to accuse your father of stealing knowing pretty well that you possibly can't or won't and thus
b) successfully also implied that your father is a theif without having to actually label him a thief directly.
I need not call him a thief directly. I can very much so do it in other ways where the insult will get stuck in a wordplay because I didn't directly or explicitly say it. The impact and meaning regardless of a direct attack or an insinuation remains the same.
Getting?