English idioms relating to business and work

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English idioms relating to BUSINESS - WORK
Have an ace up your sleeve.	If you have an ace up your sleeve, it means that you have something in reserve with which you can gain an advantage.
Hold all the aces	A person who holds all the aces is in a very strong position because they have more advantages than anyone else. "Given the high unemployment figures in some countries, employers hold all the aces."
Ambulance chaser	This terms refers to a lawyer who finds work by persuading people injured in accidents to claim money from the person who caused the accident. "Peterson & Scott are well-known ambulance chasers - that's how they make their money!"
Blamestorming	A discussion among a group of people, who try to determine who or what is to blame for a particular mistake, failure or wrongdoing, is called 'blamestorming'. "A blamestorming session took place following the unfavourable reviews in the press."
A blank cheque	If you give someone a blank cheque, you authorize them to do what they think is best in a difficult situation. "Tom was given a blank cheque and told to negotiate the best deal possible."
Blue chip company	This term refers to a company with a solid reputation for the quality of its products and the stability of its growth and earnings. "It's usually safe to invest in a blue-chip company.
Above board	If a situation or business is described as above board, it is open, honest and legal. "There are no secret negotiations. Our dealings have always been above board."
Get down to brass tacks	People who get down to brass tacks start to discuss and deal with the practical details of something "It was decided to get down to brass tacks and discuss the cost of the project."
Get the show on the road	If you manage to put a plan or idea into action, you get the show on the road. "OK! We've got all we need, so let's get the show on the road!"
Bricks and mortar/ bricks and clicks	An established trading company (office/shop) is referred to as a 'brick-and-mortar' business. 'Click companies' refer to Internet-based operations. Companies which do both are called 'bricks and clicks'. "Click businesses are usually more flexible than brick-and-mortar operations."
Pass the buck	If you say that someone is passing the buck, you are accusing them of not taking responsibility for a problem and expecting someone else to handle it.
Carve out a niche	A person or company who carves out a niche focuses on a particular segment of the market, to which they supply a product or service, and develop their expertise in that area. "In today's competitive market it's better to carve out a niche and try to become the best in that area."
A cash cow	A product or service which is a regular source of income for a company is called a cash cow. "His latest invention turned out to be a real cash cow."
Cash in your chips	If you cash in your chips, you sell something, especially shares, either because you need the money or because you think the value is going to fall. "Andy cashed in his chips as soon as business started to slow down."
Too many chiefs and not enough Indians	This expression refers to a situation where there are too many people giving instructions and not enough people doing the work. "The business wasn't successful. There were too many chiefs and not enough Indians."
Clinch a deal	In a business relationship, if you clinch a deal, you reach agreement on a proposal or offer. "Tom's final argument enabled us to clinch the deal."
Cog in the machine	If you say that someone is a cog in the machine, you mean that, while they are necessary, they only play a small part in an organization or plan. "The police quickly realized that the suspect was just a cog in the machine."
Make cold calls	If you make cold calls, you telephone potential customers from a list of people you do not know. "In my first job I had to make cold calls using the telephone directory."
Corner a market	If a company dominates an area of business, and leaves no room for competition, it is said to have cornered the market. "By importing large quantities and selling at low prices, they have cornered the market."
Cut and dried	To refer to a situation, a problem or a solution as cut and dried means that it is considered clear and straightforward, with no likely complications. "When the new manager arrived, he didn't find the situation as cut and dried as he had expected."
Dead wood	The term dead wood refers to people or things which are no longer considered useful or necessary. "The management wants to reduce costs by cutting out the dead wood."
Dog eat dog	This expression refers to intense competition and rivalry in pursuit of one's own interests, with no concern for morality. "The business world is tough today. There's a general dog-eat-dog attitude."
In the doldrums	To say that a person, a business or the economy in general is in the doldrums means that the situation is gloomy and that nothing new is happening. "Despite the recent measures, the economy remains in the doldrums."
A done deal	This expression is used to refer to an agreement or decision which has been reached on a certain matter. "We're still considering several proposals, so it's not a done deal yet."
Donkey work	This expression is used to describe the unpleasant, boring parts of a job. "I do the donkey work - my boss gets the credit!"
Down the drain	To say that money, time or effort has gone down the drain, means that it has been wasted or lost. "His years of research went down the drain when the company went bankrupt."
Drastic times call for drastic measures	When faced with a difficult situation, it is sometimes necessary to take actions which in normal circumstances would appear extreme. "Sales dropped so significantly that the company decided to drop the product line. Drastic times call for drastic measures!"
Dream ticket	If you refer to two people as a dream ticket, you think they would work well together and be successful. "Clinton and Obama teaming up for the general election would be a dream ticket for many Democrats."
Above and beyond the call of duty	If a person does something which is above and beyond the call of duty, they show a greater degree of courage or effort than is usually required or expected in their job. "The fire-fighter received a medal for his action which went above and beyond the call of duty."
An eager beaver	The term eager beaver refers to a person who is hardworking and enthusiastic, sometimes considered overzealous. "The new accountant works all the time - first to arrive and last to leave -a real eager beaver!"
Have all your eggs in one basket	If you have all your eggs in one basket, you depend on one plan or one source of income. "If you invest your savings in one bank, you'll have all your eggs in one basket."
Use elbow grease	If you use elbow grease, you need energy and strength to do physical work such as cleaning or polishing. "It took a considerable amount of elbow grease to renovate the old house."
Feather your nest	To say of someone that they are feathering their nest is to say that they are taking advantage of their position in order to obtain money so as to have a comfortable life.
Fiddling while Rome burns	If you say that somebody is fiddling while Rome burns, you mean that they are doing unimportant things while there are serious problems to be dealt with "His visit to the trade fair was 'fiddling while Rome burns' according to the strikers."
Drag one's feet	If you say that a person is dragging their feet, you think they are unnecessarily delaying a decision which is important to you.
Think on one's feet	A person who thinks on their feet is capable of making good decisions without previous thinking or planning. "Good lawyers need to be able to think on their feet when pleading a case."
Rushed off your feet.	If your are rushed off your feet, your are extremely busy. "I'd love to have lunch with you but we're rushed off our feet at the moment at the office."
A finger in every pie	If someone has a finger in every pie, they are involved in many activities "For information about the town development project, you should talk to John Brown. He has a finger in every pie."
Work your fingers to the bone	A person who works their fingers to the bone is extremely hardworking. "He deserves his success; he worked his fingers to the bone when he started the business."
A foot in the door	To say that someone has a foot in the door means that they have a small but successful start in something, and will possibly do well in the future. "With today's unemployment, it's difficult to get a foot in the door in any profession."
A free hand	If you have a free hand, you have permission to make your own decisions, especially in a job. "My boss has given me a free hand in the choice of agent."
Get down to brass tacks	When people get down to brass tacks, they start to discuss the essential aspects of a problem or situation. "The situation was so serious that after a few polite exchanges, they immediately got down to brass tacks."
Get something off the ground	If you get something off the ground, you put it into operation after having organized it. "After a lot of hard work, we finally got the campaign off the ground.
Give someone a run for their money	If you give someone a run for their money, you present strong competition in circumstances where the other person expects to win easily. "We didn't win the match but we gave the other team a run for their money."
Go for a song	If something goes for a song, it is sold at an unexpectedly low price. "I was able to buy the car simply because it going for a song."
Golden handcuffs	The term golden handcuffs refers to a large sum of money or a generous financial arrangement granted to an executive as an incentive to stay in their job, or to ensure long-term cooperation after their departure.
Golden handshake	A golden handshake is a generous sum of money given to a person when they leave a company or retire (sometimes given to encourage early retirement).
Golden opportunity	A golden opportunity is a favourable time or excellent occasion which should not be missed.
Golden parachute	A golden parachute is a clause in an executive's employment contract stating that the executive will receive certain large benefits if their employment is terminated.
Grease somebody's palm	If you accuse someone of greasing somebody's palm, you are accusing them of giving money to someone in order to gain an unfair advantage, or to obtain something they want. "In some countries, it is common practice to grease government officials' palms."
The upper hand	If a person or organization gets or gains the upper hand, they take control over something.
Have one's hands tied	If a person has their hands tied, something, such as an agreement or a rule, is preventing them from doing what they would like to do. "Mark deserves to earn more, but the manager's hands are tied by the recent salary agreement."
Get the hang of something	When you get the hang of an activity, you now know how to do it correctly.
Irons in the fire	If you have a few, or many, irons in the fire, you are involved in a number of projects at the same time. "The travel agency is not his only venture - he's got more than one iron in the fire."
Jump on the bandwagon	If a person or organization jumps on the bandwagon, they decide to do something when it is already successful or fashionable. "When organic food became popular, certain stores were quick to jump on the bandwagon and promote it."
Keep one's head above water	To keep one's head above water means to try to survive by staying out of debt, for example a small business.
Keep your nose to the grindstone	A person who keeps their nose to the grindstone is someone who concentrates on working hard at his job.
Knuckle down to something	If someone knuckles down to something, they start to work on it seriously. "If you want to succeed, you'll have to knuckle down to some serious work."
Let me bounce this off you.	You say this when you present an idea or plan to someone in order to test their reaction or obtain feedback. "I think I've found a way of making money. Let me bounce this off you."
The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing	This expression means that communication within a group or organization is so bad that people don't know what the others are doing.
Licence to print money	This expression refers to an officially authorized activity which enables people to make a lot of money without much effort. "The contract to supply computers to schools was a licence to print money."
Lip service	If you pay lip service to an idea or cause, you give verbal support or approval but fail to actually do anything. "In spite of promising equal pay for women, the management is suspected of paying lip service to the promotion of women's rights."
Make hay while the sun shines	This expression is used as an encouragement to take advantage of a good situation which may not last. Successful sportsmen are advised to make hay while the sun shines.
Put money where your mouth is	If you put money where your mouth is, you give financial support to activities and causes that you believe are right.
Move the goalposts	During a course of action, if someone moves the goalposts, they change the rules or conditions. "We've decided on a sales campaign. Let's hope the boss doesn't move the goalposts halfway through! "
Movers and shakers	The term movers and shakers refers to people in power who take an active part in making things happen. "Movers and shakers are assembling in Brussels for the summit."
Nuts and bolts	The nuts and bolts of something are the detailed facts and the practical aspects. "We need to discuss the nuts and bolts of the proposal before going any further."
Pass the buck	If you say that someone is passing the buck, you are accusing them of not taking responsibility for a problem and letting others deal with it instead. "Whenever a customer comes to complain, she always finds a way of looking busy. Talk about passing the buck!"
Pick up steam	If something such as a project or process picks up steam, it starts to develop or become more active. "The campaign started slowly but it picked up steam after Christmas."
In the pipeline	If something is in the pipeline, it is in progress or being organized at the moment.
Play for time	If you play for time, you try to delay or prevent something from happening in order to gain an advantage. "He decided to play for time in the hope that the price would decrease."
Play the game	If you play the game, you accept to do things according to the rules laid down by others.
Play second fiddle	If you play second fiddle to somebody, you accept to be second in importance to that person, or have a lower position.
Pull strings	If somebody pulls strings, they use influential friends in order to obtain an advantage. "David found a job easily - his Dad just pulled a few strings!"
Pull your weight	If you say that someone pulls their weight, you mean that they do their fair share of the work. "It's great working with Sandra. She always pulls her weight."
Put your shoulder to the wheel	If you put your shoulder to the wheel, you start putting a lot of effort into a difficult task. "We'll have to put our shoulders to the wheel to get the store ready for the opening day."
A race against time	If someone is in a race against time, they have to work very quickly in order to do or finish something before a certain time.
Red tape	The term red tape refers to official rules and bureaucratic paperwork that prevent things from being done quickly. "If there wasn't so much red tape, the company would be up and running already."
Roaring trade	If you do a roaring trade in a particular field, you do excellent business. "The sports shop is doing a roaring trade in bicycles these days."
Roll up your sleeves	When you roll up your sleeves, you get ready for hard work. "To increase our market share we'll have to roll up our sleeves and find new customers."
Learn the ropes	If you learn the ropes, you learn how to a particular job correctly.
Run round in circles	People who run round in a circles have difficulty in achieving things because of lack of organization. "Running round in circles will get us nowhere - we need to set up a plan."
Not up to scratch	If something or somebody is not up to scratch, they are not as good as they should be.
Seal of approval	If a project or contract receives a seal of approval, it receives formal support or approval from higher authorities. "We can't conclude the deal without the director's seal of approval."
Separate the sheep from the goats	If you separate the sheep from the goats, you examine a group of people and decide which are good and which are not so good. "Examining job applications is the first stage in separating the sheep from the goats.
Shape up or ship out	This expression is used to warn someone that if they do not improve, they will have to leave their job. "When Tom started neglecting the customers, he was told to shape up or ship out."
Signed, sealed and delivered	When an agreement, contract or treaty is signed, sealed and delivered, all the legal documents have been signed. "It is hoped that the agreement will be signed, sealed and delivered before the end of the week."
In smooth waters	A business or operation which is in smooth waters is making regular and easy progress. "The company seems to be in smooth waters these days."
Put a spanner in the works	To put a spanner in the works means to cause problems and prevent something from happening as planned. (In the US, the word wrench or monkey wrench is used instead of spanner)
Speed networking	This refers to a relatively new urban trend which consists in making a potential business contact by briefly talking to a series of people at an organised event and exchanging contact details.
Start the ball rolling	If you start the ball rolling, you start an activity in which other people will join. "Let's start the ball rolling by calling on our first speaker."
Sweat of your brow	If you earn or achieve something by the sweat of your brow, you do it through hard work and without help from anyone. "I got a comfortable lifestyle by the sweat of my brow. I owe it to nobody but myself."
Sweetheart deal	The term sweetheart deal is used to refer to an abnormally lucrative arrangement between two parties. "Opponents say that the contract was awarded to the builder as part of a sweetheart deal, and is therefore illegal."
Take a nosedive	If something takes a nosedive, it drops or decreases in value very rapidly. "The stock market took a nosedive when the property market began to weaken."
Talk shop	If you talk shop, you talk about your work or business in a social situation with someone you work with, and make the conversation boring for the others present. "I never go out with my colleagues because we inevitably end up talking shop."
There for the taking	If something is there for the taking, it is easy to obtain. "When our main competitor went out of business, the market was there for the taking."
Top dog	To say that a person, group or country is top dog means that they are better or more powerful than others. "She's top dog in cosmetics today."
Tricks of the trade	This expression refers to a clever or expert way of doing things, especially in a job. "He's a tough negotiator; he knows all the tricks of the trade."
Up and running	If a business or a plan is up and running, it has started and is functioning successfully. "In some countries you can have a company up and running in a very short time."
Nothing ventured, nothing gained	This expression means that you cannot expect to achieve anything if you risk nothing. "He's going to ask his boss for a promotion even though he has little chance of obtaining satisfaction - nothing ventured, nothing gained!"
Walking papers	If you are given your walking papers, your contract or a relationship is ended. "After causing a diplomatic incident, Carter got his walking papers."
Wheeling and dealing	Someone accused of wheeling and dealing is thought to be involved in complicated, if not dishonest, deals in business or politics. "Since the beginning of the election campaign, there's been a lot of wheeling and dealing going on."
Win-win	The term win-win refers to a situation or proposition where both or all parties benefit from the outcome. "There were smiles all round when the contract was signed - it was a win-win situation."

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