2017年3月21日的《洛杉磯時報》網絡版出現這樣一個標題:
Schwarzenegger turns tables on Trump and ridicules approval ratings and budget cuts
中文意思是:阿諾對川普總統反唇相譏,嘲諷總統的支持率和預算削減
(阿諾之所以“反唇相譏”,是因爲總統指責他主持川普的電視節目The Apprentice 把收視率搞砸了)
“turn the tables (on someone)” 和“桌子”沒什麼關係, 它的意思是:反敗為勝,轉弱為強,轉而佔上風 (to suddenly take a position of strength or advantage that was formerly held by someone else )。
例句:
1)“She played badly in the first set, but then she turned the tables on her opponent and won the match. ” 第一輪她打得不好。但後來她力挽狂瀾,戰勝對手。
2)“Glenn asked Sogo hard questions in the first segment, but Sogo soon turned the tables on Glenn in the following segment.”老包在第一節的時候問了Sogo很多難回答的問題,但Sogo在接下來的單元中讓老包節節敗退。
3)“The president turned the tables on the media when he found out the false report.” 當總統發現媒體的報導有誤的時候,他不依不饒地指責他們。
4)“Sogo used to be a hen-pecked man, but now the tables are turned.” Sogo 以前很怕老婆的,但現在可今非昔比了。