美国俚语:意外打击使人哭笑不得

今天要学的习惯用语是: laugh out of the other side of your mouth。让我们看个例子来体会习惯用语laugh out of the other side of your mouth是什么意思。他说的是一钱如命的Bill自作聪明地问一个人低价买进一辆汽车。

例句：Bill thought he got a real bargain because the car was half the normal price. Now he's laughing out of the other side of his mouth. The police came to tell him the car was stolen. So he loses both the car and the money.

原来Bill是杀到半价买进这辆车的。他当时真是高兴，以为自己占了大便宜，但是想不到警察来对他说这辆车是赃货。这一来Bill既没了车又丢了钱。

刚才说过Bill是一钱如命的家伙。起初买了便宜货想必得意扬扬，但是后来面临这种赔了夫人又折兵的局面，他必定会捶胸顿足、懊丧万分。可见laugh out of the other side of his mouth这个习惯用语是用来描绘这种乐极生悲的局面的。它的含义是意外打击使人哭笑不得、转喜为忧。