Advanced Business English Idioms: 12 Common Workplace Expressions Explained

Today's lesson will teach you 12 more idioms related to business. Let me remind you of the steps for our idioms lessons. First, look at the example of the idiom in context and try to guess the meaning of the idiom. Then, wait for the correct answer and explanation. Again, this method helps you think actively about the expressions and learn to figure them out from the context. Ready? Let's begin. 1. I'm working late today because I want to tie up some loose ends before the weekend. Does tie up some loose ends mean A, finish things completely, B, make decisions, or C, secure sensitive information? Tie up some loose ends means A, finish things completely. The expression loose ends means unfinished tasks or unresolved details. It comes from the fact that a rope with loose ends is not finished, not complete. So, to tie up loose ends is to complete those unfinished tasks or details. Another way to say this is take care of loose ends.

2. No progress has been made because the managers are at loggerheads over the best way to continue the project. Does at loggerheads mean A, ignoring the problem, B, in conflict, or C, working too slowly? At loggerheads means B, in conflict. The word loggerhead refers to a type of tool from the 17th century. It was made of metal and it could be used as a weapon. This is probably what gave origin to the expression at loggerheads, meaning in conflict. You can be at loggerheads with someone or at loggerheads over an issue.

3. Please do your research carefully. We need to cover all the bases to make sure we don't violate any laws. Does cover all the bases mean A, deal with every aspect of a situation? B, have lots of documentation or C, hide facts from an investigation? Cover all the bases means A, deal with every aspect of a situation. This idiom comes from baseball where the four corners in the field are called bases. If a player is covering the base, it means he is guarding or protecting it. When a team is covering all the bases, it means they are taking all the action necessary in the situation, with no weak points.

4. The decrease in manufacturing means there are fewer jobs available for blue collar workers. Does blue collar workers mean A, does manual labor? B, wears a suit or C, works on a contract basis. Blue collar workers are workers who do manual labor. Blue collar workers are people who work in jobs that involve manual, physical, labor, such as manufacturing, mining, construction, mechanical work, and maintenance and repair. This is in contrast to white collar workers who work in office and administrative jobs. The origin of this idiom is the fact that in the past it was typical for manual laborers to wear a blue uniform and for office workers to wear a white shirt.

5. When a flaw was discovered in the building plans, the project supervisor tried to pass the buck to the engineers. Does pass the buck mean A, pass responsibility to someone else? B, pay someone to fix something or C, work closely with the company. Pass the buck means A, to pass responsibility to someone. Today this expression is usually used with a negative connotation, like a person trying to avoid taking responsibility for a problem by shifting the blame to someone else.

6. The company is having financial problems. It's a safe bet that some of the staff will be let go. That's what always happens. Does it's a safe bet mean A, it's a smart idea? B, it's certain to happen or C, it will reduce costs. It's a safe bet means B, it's certain to happen. If you bet on something like the outcome of a sports game, it means you put your money at risk. If the outcome is different from what you expected, you lose the money. The expression's a safe bet and a sure bet refer to something that you are very certain will definitely happen.

7. Although our customers occasionally buy clothing, jewelry is the real cash cow. Does cash cow mean A something expensive? B, a regularly repeating expense? Or C, a very profitable product or service? Cash cow means C, a very profitable product or service. A cash cow is a product or service with a high profit margin. That means that the money it earns for the company is much greater than the money it costs to provide it. This expression originated when British soldiers in India saw Hindus offering money in the form of sacred cows to the temple gods.

8. I'm really under the gun right now. I have five projects due in three days. Does under the gun mean A, in danger of losing your job? B, out of favor with the boss or C, under a lot of pressure? Under the gun means C, under a lot of pressure. When robbers want to pressure someone to give the money, they threaten the person with a gun. Hand over the cash fast or else I'll shoot you. This is how the expression under the gun came to be used for high pressure situations in general, especially when you have a lot of work to do in very little time.

9. How much did our expenses increase in the last month? No need to look it up, just give me a ballpark figure. Does a ballpark figure mean A, an estimate? B, an exact number? Or C, a prediction? A ballpark figure means A, an estimate. This is another idiom from baseball. The ballpark is the area where the game is played. If the ball is inside the ballpark, then it is in play. It is in the right area. If the ball goes outside the ballpark, it is out of play or out of bounds. A ballpark figure is an estimate that is in the right area. It is approximately correct.

10. I wasn't happy with the work of that subcontractor. He has the tendency to cut corners. Does cut corners mean A, do something in a cheaper or easier way but with less quality? B, eliminate all your competitors or C, fail to appear for appointments. Cut corners means A, do something in a cheaper or easier way but with less quality. If you are driving and you need to go around the corner of a road but you cut across instead, you will arrive faster. However, you might hit some things or do damage to your car because you are off the established road. This expression therefore has a negative connotation because cutting corners in your work means finding a shortcut to do it faster or cheaper but the quality of the work is not as good as if it had been done perfectly correctly.

11. I have 15 publications to review by the end of the day. I have my work cut out for me. Does I have my work cut out for me mean A, I have a larger difficult task to do. B, I have no one to help me. Or C, I have to work longer than normal hours. I have my work cut out for me means A, I have a larger difficult task to do. This is an informal expression to be used when you are facing a task that will not be easier quick.

12. Remember that this is a 10-year strategic development plan so you can't expect to see results right off the bat. Does write off the bat mean A in practice, B immediately or C in the future? Write off the bat means immediately. It's yet another baseball idiom. It references the ball coming off the bat immediately after being hit. Now you've learned 12 more business English idioms. Take the quiz to put them into practice and come back tomorrow for your next progress test.

This is the listening material about business English courses, speeches, meetings, negotiations, and phone calls, collected by Xiao Wu from Qicai.com. I hope you find it useful after listening!