Business Idioms 51-75

Question 1

In the driver’s seat

Answer 1

To be in control

Question 2

In the red

Answer 2

A company that is not profitable and is operating at lost

Question 3

Keep your eye on the ball

Answer 3

To focus and concentrate on what you want to achieve

Question 4

Last straw

Answer 4

The last annoyance, disturbance, or betrayal which causes someone to give up, lose his or her patience, or become very angry

Question 5

Learn the ropes

Answer 5

To learn the basics of something

Question 6

Long shot

Answer 6

Something that has a very low probability of happening

Question 7

Loophole

Answer 7

A legal one occurs if a law is unclear or omits information, this lack of legal clarity allows people or corporations to take advantage of the situation and pay less taxes or gain some other advantage (go around)

Question 8

Lose ground (opposed to “gain ground”)

Answer 8

To lose some type of an advantage (market share, for example) to a competitor

Question 9

Lose-lose situation (or a “no-win situation”)

Answer 9

When someone has to choose between various options which are all bad

Question 10

Nine-to-five

Answer 10

A job during normal working hours

Question 11

No brainer

Answer 11

A decision is really obvious or really easy to make

Question 12

No strings attached

Answer 12

Something given without expecting anything in return

Question 13

No time to lose

Answer 13

When there is a lot of pressure to complete something quickly

Question 14

Not going to fly

Answer 14

When a solution is not effective

Question 15

Off the top of one’s head

Answer 15

Someone is giving a response without thinking about it for a long time or doing any research on the subject

Question 16

On a roll

Answer 16

Someone has several successes in a row

Question 17

On the ball

Answer 17

To be alert and aware of things

Question 18

On the same page

Answer 18

When two people are in agreement about something

Question 19

On top of something

Answer 19

To be in control of a situation and aware of changes

Question 20

On your toes

Answer 20

To be alert

Question 21

Out in the open

Answer 21

Something is public knowledge and not hidden from people

Question 22

Out of the loop vs in the loop

Answer 22

To not know something that a select group of people knows vs to be part of a select group with knowledge that others do not have

Question 23

Pink slip

Answer 23

Someone who has been fired

Question 24

Play hardball

Answer 24

To be competitive in a cruel way and without showing mercy (to do anything possible to win)

Question 25

Put all someone’s eggs in one basket

Answer 25

To rely on only one thing to bring you success