
我們先來(lái)學(xué)習(xí)一個(gè)習(xí)慣用語(yǔ): laugh out of the other side of your mouth。讓我們看個(gè)例子來(lái)體會(huì)這個(gè)習(xí)慣用語(yǔ)是什么意思:
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.
比爾用正常價(jià)錢(qián)的一半就買(mǎi)進(jìn)了這輛車(chē),他高興極了,以為自己占了大便宜。但是想不到警察來(lái)對(duì)他說(shuō)這輛車(chē)是贓貨,這一來(lái)比爾既沒(méi)了車(chē)又丟了錢(qián),真是哭笑不得。
可見(jiàn)laugh out of the other side of his mouth這個(gè)習(xí)慣用語(yǔ)是用來(lái)描繪這種樂(lè)極生悲的局面的。它的含義是意外打擊使人哭笑不得、轉(zhuǎn)喜為憂(yōu)。另外一個(gè)習(xí)慣用語(yǔ)laugh on the other side of one's face也可表示同樣的意思。
剛才的習(xí)慣用語(yǔ)使人連想起一句老話(huà): 別高興得太早。人們常規(guī)勸別人說(shuō): 得意莫忘形,失意別消沉。英語(yǔ)里有一句習(xí)慣用語(yǔ)有類(lèi)似的含義,這個(gè)習(xí)慣用語(yǔ)是: have the last laugh。 Have the last laugh看來(lái)意思很明白,就是笑在最后,誰(shuí)能在最后笑呢?當(dāng)然是取得最終勝利的一方,所以have the last laugh說(shuō)的是獲得最后勝利。我們來(lái)看個(gè)例子。
The boys thought they had tricked the girls by locking them in the kitchen. But the girls had the last laugh when the boys got hungry and realized they couldn't get into the kitchen for food.
男孩兒們把那些女孩鎖進(jìn)了廚房就自以為計(jì)謀得逞了,但是實(shí)際上他們高興得太早了:他們餓了想吃東西的時(shí)候才想起他們進(jìn)不去廚房了。
Have the last laugh這個(gè)習(xí)慣用語(yǔ)來(lái)自諺語(yǔ): He laughs last who laughs best. 笑到最后的人才笑得最好。 Have the last laugh這個(gè)習(xí)慣用語(yǔ)言簡(jiǎn)意賅,含意是取得最后勝利才是真正的勝利,所以大可不必為最初的勝利而得意。