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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."
 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."
 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."
 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 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. 
 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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