if it's not one thing, it's the other
if it's not one thing, it's the other
also if it's not one thing, it's another or it's one thing after another
Meaning:
- everything is going wrong
- bad things keep happening
- face many problems in succession
Example:
- It's such a bad day today. If it's not one thing, it's the other!
- I lost my wallet yesterday. At the moment, if it's not one thing, it's the other.
- First I burnt my breakfast, then I crashed my car. If it's not one thing, it's the other right now.
- I'm going through a hard time nowadays. If it's not one thing, it's the other.
- First she lost her job, then her boyfriend left her. If it's not one thing, it's the other for her right now.
- He is going through difficult times these days. If it's not one thing, it's the other for him.
Origin:
The origin of the idiom is not known.