CSEET BUSINESS COMMUNICATION - IDIOMS

1. Beat around the bush

To avoid talking about what’s important

1. Hit the sack

Go to sleep

1. Back against the wall

Stuck in a difficult circumstance with no escape

1. Scrape the barrel

Making the most of the worst situations or things because you can’t do anything about it.

1. Break fresh/ new ground

Doing something that has never been done before

1. Run around in circles

Putting efforts into something that is not a worthwhile result

1. On cloud nine

Being very happy

1. Blow hot and cold

Alternate inconsistently between moods and actions

1. Cut corners

Doing something in an easier and least expensive manner

1. Boil the ocean

Taking up an almost impossible or overly ambitious project

1. Eat like a horse

Eating too excessively

1. A snowball effect

The aspect of momentum in every event and how they build upon each other

1. In for a penny, in for a pound

Meaning: That someone is intentionally investing his time or money for a particular project or task.

1. Chip off the old block

Meaning: A person is similar in behaviour or actions to his parents.

1. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

Meaning: Treat people the same way you want to be treated.

1. Don’t cry over spilt milk

Meaning: Don’t cry over what has happened as it can not be fixed.

1. Fair and square

Meaning: Being direct or fair.

1. Having an Ace up the sleeve

Meaning: Have an advantage that is currently being withheld for future purposes.

1. A black sheep

Meaning: Being a disgrace for the family.

1. Hook, line and sinker

Meaning: Doing something or trying to achieve something with thoroughness and passion.

1. Looking to your laurels

Meaning: Not be lost in your achievements and losing the sight of what is supposed to happen.

1. By the skin of your teeth

Meaning: To just barely get by or make it.

1. Easier said than done

Meaning: Not as easy as it appears to be.

1. Break a leg

Meaning: Saying good luck to someone.

1. Up a creek without a paddle

Meaning: In an unlucky situation.

1. Give it a whirl

Meaning: To give something a try.

1. Fish out of water

Meaning: To be out of your comfort zone.

1. In the fast lane

Meaning: A life filled with excitement.

1. Go the extra mile

Meaning: To make an extra effort.

1. Snug as a bug in a rug

Meaning: Warm and cosy.

1. Step up your game

Meaning: To start performing better

1. To not see the wood for the trees

Meaning: To be so involved in trivial matters that you don’t get the important facts.

1. Lose your marbles

Meaning: To go insane.

1. Straight from the Horse’s mouth

Meaning: Directly from the person involved.

1. Crying Wolf

Meaning: To ask for help when you don’t need it.

1. Palm off

Meaning: Pass off something as genuine when it is spurious.

1. Look before you leap

Meaning: Calculate the risks before advancing towards a possibility.

1. On thin ice

Meaning: In a precarious or risky situation.

1. Play devil’s advocate

Meaning: To argue, just for the sake of it.

1. Rain on someone’s parade

Meaning: To spoil a moment.

1. Take a rain check

Meaning: Postpone a plan.

1. Take it with a grain of salt

Meaning: Don’t take it too seriously.

1. Like a cakewalk

Meaning: So easy task.

1. Throw caution to the wind

Meaning: Take a risk.

1. Penny-wise and Pound foolish

Meaning: Careful in trivial matters but wasteful or extravagant in large matters.

1. The best thing since sliced bread

Meaning: A really good invention.

1. Play by the ear

Meaning: To improvise.

1. Ignorance is bliss

Meaning: You are better off not knowing some things.

1. Put something on ice

Meaning: To put something on hold.

1. Bite the bullet

Meaning: To get something over with because it is inevitable.

1. Go back to the drawing board

Meaning: Start over.

1. Beating Around the Bush

Meaning: To talk about unnecessary things.

1. Be in a Tight Corner.

Meaning: Being in a difficult situation.

1. Swan Song

Meaning: The last piece of work of an artist before his/her death.

1. Wild Goose Chase

Meaning: Futile Chase

1. Bury the Hatchet

Meaning: Ending a quarrel to make peace.

1. To Bell the Cat

Meaning: To face a risk.

1. Turn a deaf ear

Meaning: To ignore what someone is saying.

1. At Sea

Meaning: Confused

1. To be in the doldrums

Meaning: To be in a low spirit

1. Go cold turkey

Meaning: To quit or stop addictive or dangerous behaviour

1. Face the music

Meaning: Face the reality

1. To have sticky fingers

Meaning: Thief

1. Wear your heart on your sleeve

Meaning: Expressing yourself too openly

1. Through thick and thin

Meaning: Through good and bad times

1. Pour out one’s heart

Meaning: To express openly

1. A left-handed compliment

Meaning: Saying something insulting in the form of appreciative words.

1. Once in a blue moon

Meaning: Not very often

1. Call a spade a spade

Meaning: Talking frankly

1. Flesh and blood

Meaning: Referring to someone in family or human nature

1. Jam on the brakes

Meaning: Press brakes of a vehicle suddenly

1. Knee Jerk Reaction

Meaning: A quick response

1. Once bitten, twice shy

Meaning: Afraid of doing something again

1. Forty winks

Meaning: A short nap

1. Black and blue

Meaning: Something bruised

1. Have the blues

Meaning: Sad

1. Get in Shape

Meaning: To become strong or fit

1. Egg on your face

Meaning: If you’ve egg on your face, you look stupid and face embarrassment because of something you’ve done.

1. A piece of cake

Meaning: If something is a piece of cake, it’s easy to do.

1. Call it a day

Meaning: If you call it a day, you stop what you’re doing because you’re tired of it or you’ve not been successful.