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| Acid test | To refer to something as the acid test means that it will prove
how effective or useful something is. "The training course was very interesting but the acid test will come when I start my new job." |
| Be on the ball | If you are on the
ball, you are aware of what is happening and are able to react to the situation quickly and intelligently. |
| Kill two birds with one stone. |
If you kill two birds with one stone, you succeed in
doing two things at the same time. |
| Take the bull by the horns | To take the bull by the horns means that a
person decides to act decisively in order to deal with a difficult situation or problem. |
| Like clockwork | To say that someone or something goes, runs or
behaves like clockwork means that everything happens exactly as expected. "Meals are always served on time. In their home everything runs like clockwork." |
| Cut the ground from under somebody's feet |
When someone cuts the ground from under another's feet, they do something which weakens their position or spoils their plans. "When we launched the new product, we cut the ground from under our competitors' feet." |
| Cutting edge |
This expression refers to the newest, most advanced stage in the the development of something. "The company is at the cutting edge of aeronautics." |
| Dab hand at something | If you're a dab hand at something, you're very good at doing it. "Why don't you call Suzy? She's a dab hand at organizing barbecues." |
| Deliver the goods |
If a person delivers the goods, they do what is expected of them
or what they have promised to do. "Let's hope that new whiz-kid the boss hired can deliver the goods!" |
| 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. "After Johnny's third accident, his father confiscated his car. Drastic times call for drastic measures!" |
| Explore all avenues |
If you explore all avenues, you try out every possibility in order to obtain a result or find a solution. "We can't say it's impossible until we've explored all avenues." |
| Fast track something | If you decide to fast track something, such as a task or
project, you give it high priority so that the objective is reached as quickly as possible. "In view of the number of homeless, it was decided to fast track the construction of low-cost housing." |
| Fine-tooth comb |
To go over something with a fine-tooth comb
means to examine it closely and thoroughly so as not to miss any details. "The police are examining the scene of the accident with a fine-tooth comb." |
| Get it down to a fine art. | When you learn to do something
perfectly, you get it down to a fine art. "Entertaining her husband's business associates is not a problem; she's got that down to a fine art!" |
| Get one's act together | If you get your act together, you organize your affairs better than you have done previously and manage to deal with things more efficiently. "Jack's plan won't work unless he gets his act together." |
| 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!" |
| 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. |
| Go to (great) pains |
A person who goes to great pains to do something makes a great effort to do it well. "He went to great pains to explain the situation as clearly as possible." |
| As much use as a handbrake on a canoe | This expression refers to something which is completely useless
or serves no purpose. "With no electricity, a refrigerator would be as much use as a handbrake on a canoe. " |
| Land on your feet |
If you land on your feet, you make
a quick recovery after a difficulty such as a business failure, an illness, a loss, etc. "Don't worry about Bob. He always lands on his feet!" |
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." |
| Not let the grass grow under your feet |
If someone does not let the grass grow under their feet, they do not delay in getting something done. "As soon as he received the permit, he started to build. He never lets the grass grow under his feet!" |
| Keep your finger on the pulse |
If you keep your finger on the pulse, you are
constantly aware of the most recent events or developments. "A successful investor keeps his finger on the pulse of international business." |
| Leave no stone unturned | If you try everything possible in order to achieve
something something, you leave no stone unturned. "The management left no stone unturned in their efforts to find a solution to the crisis." |
| Make light work of something |
If a person makes light work of something, they do it very easily or
with little effort. "At the end of the day-long meeting, he made light work of summing up the main points." |
| Make short work of something |
If you make short work of something, you do or finish something
quickly. "They were so hungry that they made short work of getting food on the table." |
| Means business | If someone means business, they are serious about
what they announce. "The boss says that in future any missing material will be reported to the police, and he looks as though he means business." |
| Method in one's madness | This expression means
that someone's behaviour is not as irrational as it seems. "He's efficient despite his strange way of working, so there's method in his madness!" |
| Out of your depth | If you are out of your depth, you are unable to understand
a subject or deal with a situation because it is too difficult for you. "The level of the class was too high for me, so very quickly I felt out of my depth." |
| Up to par |
If something is up to par, it meets the required standard.
"He didn't get the job because his English wasn't up to par." |
| Put through their paces | If
you put someone or something through their paces, you test
their ability to do something by making them perform certain actions. "During the presentation, the machine was put through its paces." |
| Ahead of the pack | If a person or organization is ahead of the pack, they are better
or more successful than their rivals. "Our products will have to be more innovative if we are to stay ahead of the pack." |
| Sail through something | If you sail
through something, for example a test or a presentation, you succeed in doing it without difficulty. |
| Take matters into your own hands |
If you take matters into your own hands, you take action yourself rather than waiting for others to act. "When Susan saw the lack of progress, she decided to take matters into her own hands." |
| 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." |
| Tried and tested | If a method has been tried and tested, it can be trusted because it has been used successfully in the past and is known to work. |
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