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Business idioms or Business Jargon is a critical component of workplace communications in the US. If you an English learner or an International student just starting work in the US, you will probably be confused on many of these expressions. This idiom is used to say that two (or more people) agree on something. Sit on the fence This is used when someone does not want to choose or make a decision. Speak of the devil! This expression is used when the person you have just been talking about arrives. Steal someone's thunder To take the credit for something someone else did. Useful Work-Related Idioms for Business English Class (Teacher’s Resource) New: Get the Essential North American Idioms application on your Android device! I have extracted the work-related idioms from a master list of 190 useful idioms I had previously compiled (view the idiom list here.).
1. a foot in the door
to manage to enter an organization, a field of business, etc. that could bring you success
- I always wanted to work for that company but it took me two years to get a foot in the door.
[Tweet “A FOOT IN THE DOOR: to manage to enter an organization, a field of business, etc. that could bring you success”]
2. cash cow
the part of a business that always makes a profit and that provides money for the rest of the business
the part of a business that always makes a profit and that provides money for the rest of the business
- The new product became the company’s cash cow.
[Tweet “CASH COW: the part of a business that always makes a profit and that provides money for the rest of the business”]
The wu-tang manual pdf. The Wu-Tang Manual is The RZA’s first written introduction to the philosophy and history of Hip-Hop’s original Dynasty, the Wu-Tang Clan. Written in a style that is at once personal and philosophical, The Wu-Tang Manual unravels the intricate web of personalities (and alter egos), warrior codes, numerological systems, and Eastern spiritual ethics that define the Wu-Tang dynasty. The Wu-Tang Manualis a must have guide for any Wu-Tang Clan fan. Written by Wu-Tang’s mastermind, the lyrically sharp and raw, the RZA, the manual dives into the philosophy and ideals behind the group that redefined Hip-Hop. The manual is divided into 4 books, each containing 9. About The Wu-Tang Manual. The Wu-Tang Manual is The RZA’s first written introduction to the philosophy and history of Hip-Hop’s original Dynasty, the Wu-Tang Clan. Written in a style that is at once personal and philosophical, The Wu-Tang Manual unravels the intricate web of personalities (and alter egos), warrior codes, numerological systems, and Eastern spiritual ethics that define the. Jan 22, 2014 The Wu-Tang Manual is The RZA’s first written introduction to the philosophy and history of Hip-Hop’s original Dynasty, the Wu-Tang Clan. Written in a style that is at once personal and philosophical, The Wu-Tang Manual unravels the intricate web of personalities (and alter egos), warrior codes, numerological systems, and Eastern spiritual ethics that define the Wu-Tang dynasty. The Wu-Tang Manual is a guide to the Wu-Tang Clan written by prominent member and producer RZA and Chris Norris. The manual explains Wu-Tang terms, Wu-Tang members, merchandise, movies and inspirations. Book's content. It is divided into four books each containing nine chambers totaling 36.
3. too many chiefs, not enough Indians
used to describe a situation in which there are too many people telling other people what to do, and not enough people to do the work
used to describe a situation in which there are too many people telling other people what to do, and not enough people to do the work
- There are too many chiefs and not enough Indians in that company.
[Tweet “TOO MANY CHIEFS, NOT ENOUGH INDIANS: used to describe a situation in which there are too many people telling other people what to do, and not enough people to do the work”]
4. eager beaver
an enthusiastic person who works very hard
an enthusiastic person who works very hard
- George is an eager beaver and is certain to succeed in business.
[Tweet “EAGER BEAVER: an enthusiastic person who works very hard”]
5. a slice of the pie
a share of something such as money, profits, etc.
a share of something such as money, profits, etc.
- The company made big profits and the workers want a slice of the pie.
[Tweet “A SLICE OF THE PIE: a share of something such as money, profits, etc.”]
6. go belly up
to fail completely
to fail completely
- Last year the business went belly up after sales continued to fall.
[Tweet “GO BELLY UP: to fail completely”]
7. golden handshake
a large sum of money that is given to somebody when they leave their job, or to persuade them to leave their job
a large sum of money that is given to somebody when they leave their job, or to persuade them to leave their job
- When Tom left the company he was given a golden handshake.
[Tweet “GOLDEN HANDSHAKE: a large sum of money that is given to somebody when they leave their job, or to persuade them to leave their job”]
8. grease someone’s palm
to give somebody money in order to persuade them to do something dishonest
to give somebody money in order to persuade them to do something dishonest
- There are rumours that the company had to grease someone’s palms to get that contract.
[Tweet “GREASE SOMEONE’S PALM: to give somebody money in order to persuade them to do something dishonest”]
9. hold the fort
to have the responsibility for something or care of somebody while other people are away or out
to have the responsibility for something or care of somebody while other people are away or out
- While the boss is out of the office, I’ll have to hold the fort.
[Tweet “HOLD THE FORT: to have the responsibility for something or care of somebody while other people are away or out”]
10. keep head above water
to deal with a difficult situation, especially one in which you have financial problems, and just manage to survive
to deal with a difficult situation, especially one in which you have financial problems, and just manage to survive
- Business is bad. I’m not sure how much longer we’ll be able to keep our heads above water.
[Tweet “KEEP HEAD ABOVE WATER: to deal with a difficult situation, especially one in which you have financial problems, and just manage to survive”]
Read more:
What Happens if You Don’t Drink Enough Water Daily? [Video]
What Happens if You Don’t Drink Enough Water Daily? [Video]
11. red tape
official rules that seem more complicated than necessary and prevent things from being done quickly
official rules that seem more complicated than necessary and prevent things from being done quickly
- You have to go through endless red tape to start up a business.
[Tweet “RED TAPE: official rules that seem more complicated than necessary and prevent things from being done quickly”]
12. sell ice to Eskimos
to persuade people to go against their best interests or to accept something unnecessary or preposterous.
to persuade people to go against their best interests or to accept something unnecessary or preposterous.
- That salesman is such a smooth talker, he could sell ice to Eskimos.
[Tweet “SELL ICE TO ESKIMOS: to persuade people to go against their best interests or to accept something unnecessary or preposterous.”]
13. sleeping partner
a person who has put money into a business company but who is not actually involved in running it
a person who has put money into a business company but who is not actually involved in running it
- Tom found a sleeping partner to invest money in his business.
[Tweet “SLEEPING PARTNER: a person who has put money into a business company but who is not actually involved in running it”]
14. walking papers
the letter or notice dismissing somebody from a job
the letter or notice dismissing somebody from a job
- Helen was given her walking papers yesterday.
[Tweet “WALKING PAPERS: the letter or notice dismissing somebody from a job”]
15. a dead duck
a plan, an event, etc. that has failed or is certain to fail and that is therefore not worth discussing
a plan, an event, etc. that has failed or is certain to fail and that is therefore not worth discussing
- The project was a dead duck from the start due to a lack of funding.
[Tweet “A DEAD DUCK: a plan, an event, etc. that has failed or is certain to fail and that is therefore not worth discussing”]
You’re sitting in the conference room with your coworkers, waiting for a meeting to start.
As some coworkers pour themselves cups of coffee, others are chatting among themselves.
Someone is saying she has to cut corners to finish her report on time.
Someone else is talking about how a difficult customer has kept him running round in circles.
In workplace conversations, you’ll notice that business idioms and phrases like the above are being used all the time. To be able to participate actively in these conversations, you need to master the idioms and phrases commonly used in business.
That’s exactly what we’re going to do here today.
4 Top Tips for Mastering Business English Idioms and Phrases
Listen and take note of business phrases
Do you remember how you learned your native language when you were a child? You learned new words by listening to your parents and then repeating what they said. This applies to learning new business vocabulary as well. The tip is to listen out for new business phrases and idioms and take note of how they’re used.
You should also note that the same word or phrase may have meanings specific to a particular industry. For instance, the field of finance has its own specific vocabulary that’s different from sales.
Set yourself a target
Mastering new business phrases and idioms becomes much more effective if you set yourself a target to practice what you’ve learned. Set yourself a target to use at least five new phrases each week in as many business situations as you can.
Participate in workplace conversations
Participating in any kind of workplace conversation, discussion or small talk has two benefits. Firstly, you’ll have the opportunity to listen and learn new phrases, and secondly, you’ll have a chance to practice what you’ve learned.
Use FluentU to see phrases used in real situations
In this post, we share 25 business-related idioms and phrases in English. You can find more and even hear them in use on FluentU.
FluentU takes real-world videos—like business dialogues, inspiring speeches, news and more—and turns them into personalized English lessons.
FluentU has a huge collection of English videos that people in the English-speaking world actually watch.
More to the point, FluentU has an entire business category filled with authentic business-related videos covering six language levels.
To show the variety of videos even inside this single category, real-world business videos on FluentU include “Introducing Business Colleagues,” “Business Buzzwords,” “Control Your Inbox!” and “What Warren Buffet Thinks About Cash.”
An added bonus is that if you want to work on other topics later, simply use the same, familiar FluentU platform to learn with videos from other categories, such as “Science and Tech,” “Politics and Society” or mix it up with “Arts and Entertainment” or “Health and Lifestyle.”
Every spoken word is subtitled, complete with an in-context definition, image and multiple example sentences.
All you have to do is tap or click on one of the words in those subtitles to get more information. For example, if you tap on the word “brought,” you will see this:
Plus, these great videos are all accompanied by interactive features and active learning tools, like multimedia flashcards and fun games like “fill in the blank.”
If you are interested in watching fun, relevant videos and practicing language actively in the process, be sure to create a FluentU account and try it out on your computer, iOS or Android device!
1. Get down to business
Business meetings usually begin with some small talk while waiting for everyone to arrive. When it’s time to start seriously focusing on the actual work, it’s time to get down to business.
Sample sentence: We’ve got 25 business idioms and phrases to cover today so let’s get down to business.
2. From day one
This means “since the beginning.” You often hear the phrase from day one used in the workplace to talk about something that has been true since the very first day a project or business began.
Sample sentence: I hope management realizes that our deadlines are very tight. We need to hire more people immediately. We’ve been short-handed from day one.
3. Learn the ropes
Learn the ropes is used in situations where someone, usually a new coworker, needs to learn the basics of how something is done.
Idiom List For Kids Pdf
Sample sentence: The three new members of our project team will need to learn the ropes ASAP.
4. Bring to the table
To bring [something] to the table means to bring something of use or benefit (skills, experience, etc.) to a job or business activity (project, meeting, etc.).
Sample sentence: We need someone on the team who can bring project management experience to the table.
5. Learning curve
A learning curve is used to describe the progress someone has to make to gain experience or learn a new skill set. A steep learning curve indicates the task may be difficult and therefore take more effort.
Sample sentence: She is welcome to join our team, but there will be a steep learning curve.
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Does iPhoto for Windows Exist? IPhoto is an image app that is strictly running on Mac and iOS. With it, you can browse, edit and share photos like never before. However, if you want to switch from Mac to PC, you will have problems as Apple is not offering iPhoto for Windows. Thankfully, all is not lost as there are many free or paid alternatives that you can use to do most, if not all of the editing and organizing tasks. Nov 26, 2018 Turn on iCloud Photos. Download iCloud for Windows. Open iCloud for Windows. Next to Photos, click Options. Select iCloud Photo Library. Click Done, then click Apply. Turn on iCloud Photos on all of your Apple devices. IPhoto for PC is a photo software that has several tools for you to take photos. Originally created for Apple devices (Mac, iPhone, iPod, etc.), this software can now be used on a PC. Downloading iPhoto PC. To download iPhoto for your Windows PC, Simply click on the download link below: CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD IPHOTO. About iPhoto For Windows. Iphoto for windows pc windows. Jul 02, 2019 iPhoto for pc is digital photo software designed for Mac. You can view edit, and share photos with the help of iPhoto.iPhoto software organizes photo, edit photo with effect, and provide cropping facilities. You can create a slideshow and share directly to Facebook, Twitter, etc. IPhoto is available for iPhone,iPad, iPod, and Mac. Aug 28, 2016 iPhoto for PC (Windows 10/8/7) – Free Download iPhoto is one of the trademark apps from Apple, and that said, it is one of the most equipped photo viewers and editors. It carries forward the hallmark ingenuity of Apple as a brand for great quality and brilliant features.
6. Get off the ground
To get [something] off the ground means to start doing a job or project, usually after much discussion or planning.
Sample sentence: Months after looking into how to boost declining sales, we were finally able to get our aggressive sales campaign off the ground.
7. On a shoestring
When you do something on a shoestring, you’re working on a tight budget or with very little money.
Sample sentence: It’s going to be a challenge doing such a big project on a shoestring but we’ll try our best.
8. From the ground up
If you build a business or project from zero or from the bottom, you’re starting from the ground up.
Sample sentence: Have you read the news about the enterprising 12-year-old who’s building her business from the ground up?
9. Behind the scenes
This phrase is used to describe something, usually work, that’s done or that happens away from public view.
Sample sentence: Organizing a roadshow may look easy, but do you have any idea how much hard work we’ve put in behind the scenes?
10. Touch base
To touch base with someone simply means to contact someone.
Sample sentence: I have a meeting right now but I’ll touch base with you later.
11. The eleventh hour
The eleventh hour is used to describe something that’s done or happens at the last minute.
Sample sentence: The project manager won’t be pleased about them changing the design at the eleventh hour.
12. By the book
Doing something by the book means doing it strictly according to the rules, policies or the law.
Sample sentence: I don’t think John will listen to your suggestion. He insists on doing everything by the book.
13. Run around in circles
To run around in circles means to keep doing something without achieving any real results. In other words, you’re doing a lot of unnecessary work but not getting anywhere.
Sample sentence: The deadline is coming up, but we’ve been running around in circles because the client keeps changing their mind about the design.
14. Cut corners
If you cut corners, you’re taking shortcuts and using the easiest, quickest and cheapest way to do something.
Sample sentence: If we cut corners, we can probably meet our sales target for the last quarter.
15. The bottom line
You may know that the last or bottom line on a financial statement is the most important. The bottom line is what shows the total profit or loss. So then, the phrase the bottom line is used in general to refer to the final outcome, or the most important point to consider.
Sample sentence: It’s true that we’re very short-handed, but the bottom line is we must still deliver the project on time.
16. In a nutshell
Have you seen a nutshell? Think of how small it is and how little it can hold. So, in a nutshell means in summary, or in as few words as possible.
Sample sentence: This book is about successful businesspeople and how they reached the top. In a nutshell, it’s about how to grow a successful business.
17. Fifty-fifty
Fifty-fifty simply means dividing something into equal parts so that both parties get 50%.
Sample sentence: Since I’m as busy as you are, let’s split the work for this project fifty-fifty.
18. The big picture
The big picture means to look at the overall view of something, or the situation as a whole and not at the details.
Sample sentence: I think his presentation was too long and detailed. He should’ve just given us the big picture.
19. Long shot
Imagine you’re throwing a dart from a long distance. What are the chances of it hitting the bullseye (the exact center of the target)?
Well, a long shot is an idiom that’s usually used to describe something that has a very small chance of happening or succeeding.
Sample sentence: Landing such a high-paying job is a long shot but I’m still going to give it a try.
20. Back to square one
Back to squareone simply means to start over, or to go back to the beginning.
Sample sentence: I wish I’d saved my spreadsheet before the server crashed. Now I have to go back to square one.
21. Back to the drawing board
Back to the drawing board also means to start over, but it’s used more often to describe going back to the first stage of a project or process.
Sample sentence: Our design for small family homes wasn’t approved so we have to go back to the drawing board.
22. Go down the drain
A drain is a hole where liquids and waste are sent away. For example, there’s a drain in your sink, shower and toilet.
To go down the drain means that your effort, work or money is wasted or lost.
Sample sentence: If this sales campaign doesn’t succeed, all our hard work will go down the drain.
23. Gray area
The color gray is between black and white. When something is in a gray area, it means the situation isn’t certain. In a gray area there are no clear rules and it’s difficult to say if it’s right or wrong.
Sample sentence: You have many good points in your proposal but there’s one gray area we need to discuss.
24. Go the extra mile
To go the extra mile means to give more effort or do more than what’s expected of you.
Sample sentence: Anyone would be glad to have Pam on their team. She’s a great team player and is always willing to go the extra mile.
25. Call it a day
I saved the easiest one for last. When your work has been completed for the day, or when you decide to stop working on an activity, you call it a day.
Sample sentence: Now that we’ve learned 25 new business idioms and phrases that you can start using immediately, let’s call it a day.
Oh wait, before we call it a day, be sure to select a handful of these business idioms and phrases to put on your target practice list this week.
Of course, there’ll be a learning curve and you’ll have to work hard behind the scenes. But if you’re willing to go the extra mile, you’ll improve very quickly.
Keep practicing!
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