English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
Idioms: Success and Failure-7
from: 'pig's back'
to: 'slam dunk'
- on the pig's back
- A person who is on the pig's back is in a successful situation and everything is going well for them.
"Before the recession, the country was on the pig's back, but the situation has changed greatly."
- A person who is on the pig's back is in a successful situation and everything is going well for them.
- a place in the sun
- If you find a place in the sun, you reach a position
which provides you with success, wealth and/or happiness, or whatever you have been hoping to obtain in life.
"She finally found a place in the sun with the triumph of her latest book."
- If you find a place in the sun, you reach a position
which provides you with success, wealth and/or happiness, or whatever you have been hoping to obtain in life.
- play your cards right
- If you play your cards right, you do all that is necessary to succeed or to obtain what you want.
"If we play our cards right, we'll get the contract."
- If you play your cards right, you do all that is necessary to succeed or to obtain what you want.
- price yourself out of the market
- If you price yourself out of the market, you charge such a high price for your goods or
services that nobody wants to buy them, and the result is a loss in sales.
"He was so eager to make money that he priced himself out of the market."
- If you price yourself out of the market, you charge such a high price for your goods or
services that nobody wants to buy them, and the result is a loss in sales.
- pull something off
- Accomplish a difficult task or succeed in doing something in spite of the obstacles.
"Against all competition he pulled off the deal!"
- Accomplish a difficult task or succeed in doing something in spite of the obstacles.
- put the kibosh on something
- If you do something to prevent a plan or activity from happening or being successful, you put the kibosh on it.
"The bank's refusal to grant him a loan put the kibosh on Jack's project."
- If you do something to prevent a plan or activity from happening or being successful, you put the kibosh on it.
- Pyrrhic victory
- A victory that is obtained at a tremendous cost, or causes such a great loss that it is not worth winning, is called a Pyrrhic victory.
"It was a Pyrrhic victory. The shop owner won the lawsuit but went bankrupt because of the legal expenses involved."
- A victory that is obtained at a tremendous cost, or causes such a great loss that it is not worth winning, is called a Pyrrhic victory.
- (go from) rags to riches
- If a person goes from rags to riches, they start
off being very poor and become very rich and successful.
"By renovating old houses in the right places, he went from rags to riches."
- If a person goes from rags to riches, they start
off being very poor and become very rich and successful.
- riding high
- Someone who is riding high is enjoying a period of success or popularity.
"The actor has been riding high since the success of his last film."
- Someone who is riding high is enjoying a period of success or popularity.
- rise above (something)
- When you rise above something, you do not allow difficulties or
problems affect or influence your action.
"The politician was able to rise above all the criticism and personal attacks and succeeded in getting the law passed"
- When you rise above something, you do not allow difficulties or
problems affect or influence your action.
- rise to the occasion
- If you rise to the occasion, you manage to do something successfully in difficult circumstances.
"When her boss broke his leg, Julie had to represent the company at the congress, and she rose to the occasion extremely well"
- If you rise to the occasion, you manage to do something successfully in difficult circumstances.
- Rome was not built in a day
- To say that Rome was not built in a day means that you cannot expect to succeed immediately
or reach a target in a short period of time. Worthwhile achievements require time and effort.
"He expects the product to be successful immediately, but Rome was not built in a day"
- To say that Rome was not built in a day means that you cannot expect to succeed immediately
or reach a target in a short period of time. Worthwhile achievements require time and effort.
- run rings (or circles) around someone
- If you show much more skill or ability than your opponent, you run rings (or circles) around them.
"In a quiz show on TV yesterday, a teenage girl ran rings around the other contestants."
- If you show much more skill or ability than your opponent, you run rings (or circles) around them.
- sail through something
- If you sail through something, for example a test
or an exam, you succeed in doing it without difficulty.
"The English test was no problem for Pedro. He sailed through it."
- If you sail through something, for example a test
or an exam, you succeed in doing it without difficulty.
- save the day
- If you find a solution to a serious problem, and ensure
the success of something that was expected to fail, you save the day.
"The dog ate the apple pie I had made for my guests, but my sister saved the day by making one of her speedy desserts!"
- If you find a solution to a serious problem, and ensure
the success of something that was expected to fail, you save the day.
- shoot yourself in the foot
- If you shoot yourself in the foot you do or say something which is against your own interests
or harms your chances of success.
"When Lea was asked at the interview if she had any weaknesses, she really shot herself in the foot the way she answered."
- If you shoot yourself in the foot you do or say something which is against your own interests
or harms your chances of success.
- sink or swim
- If someone has to sink or swim, they have to do
something alone, and their success or failure depends entirely on their own efforts.
"The sink-or-swim attitude in the company can be very difficult for young recruits."
- If someone has to sink or swim, they have to do
something alone, and their success or failure depends entirely on their own efforts.
- the sky's the limit
- To say the sky's the limit means that there is no limit to the possibility of success or progress for someone or something.
"How successful do you think the project will be?"
"Who knows ... the sky's the limit!"
- To say the sky's the limit means that there is no limit to the possibility of success or progress for someone or something.
- slam dunk
- A basketball term which means that success or victory will be easily achieved.
"Our lawyer will win the case easily. It's a slam dunk."
- A basketball term which means that success or victory will be easily achieved.
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