Business Idioms

Here is a list of various English business idioms. These idioms are focused on things you will hear in everyday business conversations.
Long Haul
Definition: | Example: |
The long road; the option that takes the most time | Peter told his boss that he wouldn’t quit. He’s in it for the long haul. |
At a Premium
Definition: | Example: |
At a high price; at a relatively high price | When flat-screen televisions first came out, they were selling at a premium. |
Bean-counter
Definition: | Example: |
An accountant | We asked the bean-counters to look over the figures in the new budget. |
Belt-tightening
Definition: | Example: |
Reduction of expenses | When worldwide demand for software decreased, Microsoft had to do some belt-tightening. |
Be in the Red
Definition: | Example: |
At a deficit; running at a loss; losing money | The company has been in the red since September. |
Calculated Risk
Definition: | Example: |
An action that may fail but has a good chance to succeed | They took a calculated risk when they introduced the new computer screen onto the market. |
Cash Cow
Definition: | Example: |
A product, service, or business division that generates a lot of cash for the company, without requiring much investment | With strong sales every year and a great brand name, Mercedes is a cash cow for DaimlerChrysler. |
Climb to the Top of the Career/Corporate Ladder
Definition: | Example: |
Advance in one’s career; the process of getting promoted and making it to senior management | You want to climb the corporate ladder? It helps to be productive and to look good in front of your boss. |
Deliver the Goods
Definition: | Example: |
Succeed in doing well what is expected | The new owner of the company is not very popular but he is able to deliver the goods. |
Drum Up Business
Definition: | Example: |
To create business; to find new customers | Sales have been very slow lately. Do you have any ideas for drumming up business? |
Face the Music
Definition: | Example: |
To admit that there’s a problem; to deal with an unpleasant situation realistically | Enron executives finally had to face the music and admit that they were involved in some illegal activities. |
Fair Play
Definition: | Example: |
Justice, equal and right action to someone | The company is very good to work for as they always use fair play when they are bargaining with their employees. |
Fill the Bill
Definition: | Example: |
Be just what is needed | That new machine should fill the bill as to what we need to finish the job. |
Gain Ground
Definition: | Example: |
Go forward, make progress | Our company has been gaining ground in our attempt to be the best in the industry. |
Generate Lots of Buzz
Definition: | Example: |
To cause many people to start talking about a product or service, usually in a positive way that increases sales | Procter & Gamble generated lots of buzz for its new toothpaste by giving away free samples to people on the streets of New York City. |
Go Through With
Definition: | Example: |
Finish, do as planned or agreed | We have decided not to go through with our plans to launch the new product until we have solved all of its problems. |
Have a Lot on One’s Plate
Definition: | Example: |
To have a lot to do; to have too much to do; to have too much to cope with | Carlos turned down the project, explaining that he already had a lot on his plate. |
Heads Will Roll
Definition: | Example: |
Someone will be punished | Heads will roll when our boss learns about the money that we have lost recently. |
In Charge of
Definition: | Example: |
In control of, responsible for | My sister has been in charge of buying supplies at her company for many years. |
In the Market for
Definition: | Example: |
Ready to buy something | We have been in the market for a new computer for a long time but still we haven’t bought one. |
In the Works
Definition: | Example: |
In preparation, being planned or worked on | The camera company has a new automatic camera in the works but nobody knows about it yet. |
Jack Up
Definition: | Example: |
Make a price higher | The steel companies decided to jack up the price of steel at the beginning of the year. |
Jump Through Hoops
Definition: | Example: |
To go through a lot of difficult work for something; to face many bureaucratic obstacles | We had to jump through hoops to get our visas to Russia, but we finally got them. |
Keep Track of
Definition: | Example: |
Keep a count or record, stay informed | They have been making a great effort to keep track of the number of visitors to their store. |
Know/Learn the Ropes
Definition: | Example: |
The process of learning about sth so you are comfortable with it | It took me a month to learn the ropes at my new job. |
Make a Go of
Definition: | Example: |
Produce good results, succeed | Although he works very hard in his small business he has been unable to make a go of it and may soon go out of business. |
My Gut Tells Me
Definition: | Example: |
I have a strong feeling that; my intuition tells me | It’s true that I don’t know him well, but my gut tells me that James is the right person for the sales director position. |
Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained
Definition: | Example: |
If you don’t try to do something, you’ll never succeed. | It’s risky to spend so much money developing a new brand, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. |
On the Back Burner
Definition: | Example: |
Set as a lower priority | The project was put on the back burner while the company focused on a more immediate problem. |
On the Block
Definition: | Example: |
For sale | As soon as they purchased the company they began to put some of the equipment on the block. |
On Top of Trends
Definition: | Example: |
Modern; aware and responding to the latest tastes | The Gap is on top of trends. They always have the latest styles in their stores. |
Pass the Buck
Definition: | Example: |
To shift the blame; to blame somebody else | It’s your fault. Don’t try to pass the buck! |
Piece/Slice of the Action
Definition: | Example: |
A share in the activity or the profits of something | The inventor wanted a large piece of the action of the profits from the new computer that he had invented. |
Pull One’s Weight
Definition: | Example: |
To do one’s share of the work | Don’t rely on others to get your job done. You need to pull your own weight. |
Rally the Troops
Definition: | Example: |
To motivate others; to get other people excited about doing something; to do something to improve the morale of the employees and get them energized about doing their work | After the lay-offs and salary cuts, the airline president organized a meeting to rally the troops and plan for the next year. |
Red Ink
Definition: | Example: |
Debt (red ink on a financial statement) | The automobile company has been drowning in red ink since the US dollar began to rise. |
Sell Like Hotcakes
Definition: | Example: |
Sell very quickly | The children’s toys were selling like hotcakes at the end of the year. |
Shape Up or Ship Out!
Definition: | Example: |
Improve your behavior or leave; if you don’t improve your performance, you’re going to get fired | Martin finally had enough of Todd’s negative attitude. “Shape up or ship out!” he told Todd. |
Sweetheart Deal
Definition: | Example: |
A deal made between friends so that both may make a big profit | We were able to make a sweetheart deal with our landlord and got the rent greatly reduced. |
Take on
Definition: | Example: |
To give a job to or hire someone | The company took on many new workers during the busy holiday season. |
Through the Roof
Definition: | Example: |
Very high; higher than expected | No wonder people are complaining about the cost of heating their homes. Oil prices have gone through the roof! |
Throw Cold Water on
Definition: | Example: |
To present reasons why something will not work; to discourage | The managers threw cold water on the plans to close down the factory for one week in August. |
Tight Spot
Definition: | Example: |
A difficult situation | The computer manufacturing company has been in a tight spot since the shortage of computer chips appeared. |
Work Down to the Wire
Definition: | Example: |
To work until the last minute; to work until just before the deadline | The investment bankers need to turn in their report at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning, and they’ve still got many hours of work left on it. They’re going to be working down to the wire. |
Write Off
Definition: | Example: |
Remove from a business record, cancel a debt | It was impossible for the bank to collect the money so they were forced to write off the loan. |
Yes Man
Definition: | Example: |
An employee who always agrees with the boss or does whatever the boss says | Don’t expect Larry to argue with the boss. He’s a yes man. |