Business Idioms 1-25 Flashcards
24/7
24 hours a day, 7 days a week
A tough break
When something unfortunate happens
Ahead of the curve
To be more advanced than the competition
Ahead of the pack
To be better or more successful than the competition
ASAP
As soon as possible
At stake
At risk
Back to square one
To start something over again
Back to the drawing board
To start something over again, and go back to the planning stage of something
Backroom deal
An agreement or decision that is made without the public knowing about it
Ballpark number
A very inexact estimate
Behind someone’s back
To do something without someone’s knowledge and in a way that is not fair
Behind the scenes
What happens in secret or not in front of the general public
Big picture
Everything that is involved with a particular situation
Blue collar vs. white collar
Someone who works with his or her hands vs. someone who works in an office
By the book
To follow the rules 100%
Call it a day
To decide to stop working for the day
Catch someone off guard
To suprise someone by doing something that he or she was not expecting
Cave (or cave in)
To give in to something or to agree to something that you previously did not want to accept
Change of pace
Something different from a normal routine or schedule
Come up short
To try to achieve something but fail (often used a goal is failed to achieved, but not completely)
Corner a market
To dominate a particular market
Cut corners
To take shortcuts and find an easier or cheaper way to do something
Cut one’s losses
To stop doing something that is unproductive and won’t ever generate results
Cut-throat
Something that is very intense, agressive and merciless
Diamond in the rough
Something or someone that has a lot of potential but first requires a lot of work
