- как на грех
- разг.unfortunately; as if on purpose; cf. as bad (ill) luck would have it; to crown it all; just my (his, her, etc.) luck!
Захотелось покурить,... но я, как на грех, забыл спички у кочегара. (А. Новиков-Прибой, По-тёмному) — I wanted to smoke... but as bad luck would have it, I had left my matches with the stokers.
Эта неделя не шла, а вязла, застревала, цепляясь всеми своими подробностями. И работа, как на грех, не ладилась. (И. Грекова, Без улыбок) — The week wasn't going by, it was getting stuck, hung up, bogged down in all its details. And my work was going badly, as if on purpose.
В понедельник, как на грех, случилось на трассе несчастье - прорвало дамбу на готовом участке. В четверг Фефлов уже сдавал дела. (Ю. Трифонов, Утоление жажды) — On Monday - just his luck! - there was an accident on the canal - a dike gave on the completed sector. On Thursday Feflov had to turn over his duties to his successor.
Русско-английский фразеологический словарь . 2014.