English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
NEGOTIATIONS - BARGAINING - TRANSACTIONS, page 1
Idioms
from:
'over board' to: 'clinch a deal'
- above board
- If business negotiations are described as
above board, they are open, honest and legal.
"There are no secret negotiations. Our dealings have always been above board."
- If business negotiations are described as
above board, they are open, honest and legal.
- have an ace up your sleeve
- If you have an ace up your sleeve, you have
something in reserve with which you can gain an advantage.
"I'm well prepared for the negotiations. I've got an ace up my sleeve."
- If you have an ace up your sleeve, you have
something in reserve with which you can gain an advantage.
- hold all the aces
- A person or company who holds all the aces is in a very
strong position because they have more advantages than anyone else.
"With low production costs and excellent transport facilities, they seem to be holding all the aces."
- A person or company who holds all the aces is in a very
strong position because they have more advantages than anyone else.
- back to square one
- To say that someone is back to square one
means that they have not succeeded in what they were trying to do, so they have
to start again.
"When they refused the terms of the contract, it was back to square one for the negotiators."
- To say that someone is back to square one
means that they have not succeeded in what they were trying to do, so they have
to start again.
- (have your) back to the wall
- If you have your back to the wall, you are
in serious difficulty.
"With his back to the wall, the supplier had to accept the deal."
- If you have your back to the wall, you are
in serious difficulty.
- beggars can't be choosers
- This expression means that you should not reject an offer if it is
the only possibility you have. You have to be
satisfied with what you get because you have no choice.
"They let me sleep on their sofa. I would have preferred a bed but beggars can't be choosers!'
- This expression means that you should not reject an offer if it is
the only possibility you have. You have to be
satisfied with what you get because you have no choice.
- bend over backwards
- If you bend over backwards, you
try very hard to do something, especially to please somebody.
"The director bent over backwards to try and persuade them to accept our proposal."
- If you bend over backwards, you
try very hard to do something, especially to please somebody.
- bide your time
- If you bide your time, you wait
for a good opportunity to do something.
"He's not hesitating, he's just biding his time, waiting for the price to drop."
- If you bide your time, you wait
for a good opportunity to do something.
- 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."
- If you give someone a blank cheque,
you authorize them to do what they think is
best in a difficult situation.
- bone of contention
- A bone of contention is a
matter or subject about which there is a lot of disagreement.
"The salaries have been agreed on, but opening on Sundays is still a bone of contention."
- A bone of contention is a
matter or subject about which there is a lot of disagreement.
- bring nothing to the table
- If you participate in negotiations and
bring nothing to the table, you have nothing of interest
to offer the other side.
"We'll never reach an agreement if we bring nothing to the table."
- If you participate in negotiations and
bring nothing to the table, you have nothing of interest
to offer the other side.
- clinch a deal
- In a business relationship, if you
clinch a deal, you reach agreement on a proposal or offer.
"Paul's final argument enabled us to clinch the deal."
- In a business relationship, if you
clinch a deal, you reach agreement on a proposal or offer.
Alphabetical lists:
Please note that British English spelling is used on this website.