Dobi Apps

English idioms

Work & business idioms

Idioms you will hear at the office, in meetings and in business news: deadlines, teamwork, jobs and getting things done.

Idioms

  1. 1burn the midnight oilTo work or study until very late at night.I burned the midnight oil all week to finish my dissertation on time.
  2. 2call it a dayTo stop working on something, either for today or for good.It's nearly seven – let's call it a day and finish the report tomorrow.
  3. 3cut cornersTo do something cheaply or quickly by skipping steps, often lowering the quality or safety.The builders cut corners on the roof, and now it leaks every time it rains.
  4. 4go the extra mileTo make more effort than is expected of you.Our hotel receptionist went the extra mile and booked us a table at a local restaurant.
  5. 5on the ballQuick to understand and react, and well aware of what is happening.Our new assistant is really on the ball – she'd already answered the email before I asked.
  6. 6back to the drawing boardUsed when a plan has failed and you must start again with a new idea.The client hated all three logo designs, so it's back to the drawing board.
  7. 7snowed underHaving so much work or so many tasks that you can hardly manage.I'd love to help, but I'm completely snowed under this week.
  8. 8pull your weightTo do your fair share of the work in a group.Everyone in our flat pulls their weight with the cleaning.
  9. 9get crackingTo start doing something quickly, without wasting more time.We've only got two hours, so let's get cracking.
  10. 10raise the barTo set a higher standard than before.The new phone has really raised the bar for battery life.
  11. 11think outside the boxTo think in a new, creative way instead of following the usual approach.We need to think outside the box if we want to attract younger customers.
  12. 12move the goalpostsTo unfairly change the rules or targets after something has already started.Every time we finish the design, the client moves the goalposts.
  13. 13pass the buckTo make someone else responsible for a problem instead of dealing with it yourself.When the project failed, the managers just passed the buck to each other.
  14. 14rule of thumbA simple, practical guide based on experience rather than exact calculation.As a rule of thumb, you should save about ten percent of your income.
  15. 15get the ball rollingTo start an activity or process so that others can continue it.I'll get the ball rolling by introducing myself.
  16. 16learn the ropesTo learn the basic skills and rules of a new job or activity.It took me about a month to learn the ropes at my new job.
  17. 17hit the ground runningTo start something new with energy and be effective immediately.We need someone who can hit the ground running – there's no time for long training.
  18. 18keep someone in the loopTo keep someone informed about what is happening.Please keep me in the loop if anything changes with the schedule.
  19. 19up to speedHaving the latest information or the skills needed to do something well.Can you bring me up to speed on what happened in the meeting?