24 ENGLISH IDIOMS THAT ANYONE IN BUSINESS SHOULD KNOW
Business English idioms are some of the most common ones used in English.
Just like any language has its own idioms and expressions, so is the case with English.
As a matter of fact, even native speakers use them pretty often without knowing their exact meanings or implications in business situations.
In this post, we will be sharing with you 24 useful and essential MBA business idioms that everyone in business should know – along with examples. Let us get started!
1. At first sight / At face value
What does it mean? Something that seems to be true when understood only from a quick, superficial examination without looking into the details.
How is this used in conversations? Imagine you're in the market for a new house, but after looking at one place, you do not like it very much. When you tell the real estate agent what you think of the house, they may say something like: "Don't judge it at face value; come with me and take a look around."
How might this be used in business emails? You are sending an email to your boss about a person whom you don't want as a colleague. You give your boss enough reasons to believe you, but a few days later, the person calls your boss to tell them that you are not a team player and may have problems working with people in general. How would you defend yourself? You could say something like: "I'm sorry you got this impression; at first I thought it was someone capable of doing good work, but after talking to some people who know him, I realised he wasn't the right fit for our company."
2. Brief / Short notice
What does it mean? When there is very little time between, one task/event/appointment is finished, and another has started.
How is this used in conversations? Imagine you are rushing to a meeting. On your way there, you receive a call from the person who will introduce you at the meeting. They tell you that you need to have this intro done by tomorrow afternoon because they only gave you two days for it. In other words, it was very brief notice.
How might this be used in business emails? Your boss asks if someone can go and help a client with an urgent job. You quickly reply "Sure" and volunteer yourself because that's the type of employee (or person) who would do such a thing on short notice.
3. Breakthrough / Breakthrough
What does it mean? Something that brings about progress towards achieving something difficult, especially after many failures.
How is this used in conversations? Imagine you are building a house on the side of a hill. You've been working hard for a while now, but something always seems to get in your way (like weather or equipment breaking down). Your team will have a breakthrough when they finally get that part right and finish whatever they're doing successfully.
How might this be used in business emails? If you work for an advertising agency, people may contact you asking for new ideas all the time. How do we make our website better? What can we do to attract more customers? How does it feel to be working at your company? They call these requests "breaking through" because so many companies send them out only to see their ideas being ignored. After you send your ideas to the client, they may reply with something like: "I'm afraid we don't see any breakthrough here; correct me if I'm wrong."
4. Bring home the bacon / bringing home the bacon
What does it mean? To be successful in finding a way of earning money (=bringing home the bacon).
How is this used in conversations? Imagine you are talking to someone who asks how much money some rich person earns per month and when you tell them that that's not the right question to ask because there are more important things than just money. You then say that a successful man can bring home the bacon for his family and make sure they have everything they want. They will probably say something like: "What I would not give to be able to bring home the bacon too."
How might this be used in business emails? You work for a startup and do not make much money, but you love what you're doing. The owner of your company goes to an investor meeting without having any idea how it will go (i.e., 'in the dark'). On his way back, he decides that if they should start working on making their product, he has brought home the bacon at last. You could tell him: "Great job with your presentation; after all these years of trying, we finally have brought home the bacon."
5. Build bridges / Building bridges
What does it mean? To improve relationships between people or groups of people who used to be in disagreement.
How is this used in conversations? Imagine you have a friend that you sometimes argue with because you disagree on certain things. When some wedding is coming up, the bride's parents invite your family, and they forgot about asking your friend too. You do not want to miss the party though, so you call them and ask what they think of them building bridges by inviting him too; everyone loves weddings, right? They will probably say something like: "This sounds good, but I need more details before I can build bridges." (Note how this sounds similar to 'building rapport').
How might this be used in business emails? Most of the time, your boss will handle communication with higher people if they have a problem. But what if they are sick or on vacation for some reason? In this case, you may ask them to build bridges by rebuilding and connecting with their old colleague from another department — like how two enemies ('Thanos and The Avengers') would have to come together for the greater good.
6. Clear the air / Clearing the air
What does it mean? Letting other people know that there are no problems or hard feelings between each other when someone has caused an awkward or embarrassing situation (e.g., telling that person off).
How is this used in conversations? Imagine you and your friend get into an argument because they said something you did not like so much. You tell him: "I would like us to clear the air." That way, you can start talking about all the good things that happened between you two before anything started going wrong. They may reply with something like: "Cool, I'm happy to clear the air; let's meet at Luigi's for dinner." (Note how 'clear the air' sounds a little bit more optimistic than 'makeup'.)
How might this be used in business emails? In some corporate organisations, people have to write a lot of reports about their progress. This often leads to conflicts or problems because they cannot agree on certain elements. The director could clear the air by discussing with his employees and telling them that he holds them responsible for finding a good solution (=he has confidence in them). He may also mention how important it is that everyone keeps working towards the same goal — as two soccer teams would do before an important match.
7. Close your eyes to something / close (your) eyes to something
What does it mean? To ignore or downplay something terrible that someone has done (e.g., drinking too much alcohol when underage).
How is this used in conversations? Imagine you and your friend see a movie together. They go to the bar for some drinks after the show but tells you that they will not drink too much because they had to drive them both home at least 30 minutes later. You know that they will be drunk in 10 minutes, so you tell him: "Close your eyes to that; I will drive us home." (Note how 'close your eyes' sounds stronger than 'leave it alone).
How might this be used in business emails? In an office where several people need to work on a project together, one of them has to explain what went wrong with it while another person has to close their eyes to the problem caused by this person. For example: "John, I've noticed that the report has many typos in it; I know that you worked on it, but for some reason, there are a lot of spelling mistakes. Please try not to make those again and close your eyes to this mistake."
8. Cover for someone / covering for someone
What does it mean? To keep someone's secret or protect them from harm (e.g., staying up late at night because your friend has a test tomorrow morning).
How is this used in conversations? Imagine your friend did something terrible, but they do not want anyone else knowing about their actions (e.g., missing a class because they overslept or smoking weed at home). They then ask you to cover for them by pretending that you stayed up all night studying. You say: "Okay, I will cover for you." (Note how 'cover' sounds a little bit more positive than 'lie'. Dishonesty always does.)
How might this be used in business emails? Imagine your colleague has some problems with their manager and wants to quit her job. It's entirely possible that the manager would not allow him/her to do so without giving reasons first (=demanding an explanation). In this case, he/she may ask his team members and assistant to cover for him by explaining why he is leaving the company.
9. Fall out of love with someone / falling out of love with someone
What does it mean? To stop loving somebody and forget about him/her (e.g., you have a crush on your friend for 1-2 years and then one day you realise that he/she is not perfect).
How is this used in conversations? Imagine you liked someone for a long time but now suddenly found out she was far from your ideal person (=not as good as you thought she was). You tell your best friend: "I fell out of love with her." (Note how 'fall' sounds more spontaneous than 'stop liking'.)
How might this be used in business emails? In some situations, it is essential to know about your employees' feelings for their partners or spouses (e.g., an employee's wife might be pregnant, and he has to take some days off because of that). However, sometimes people are not willing to tell the truth about their feelings, so you have to find out by using this expression: "We're planning on a company picnic next week. Is it possible that we move your husband's workday forward by one hour to make sure he can visit us? If there wouldn't be any problems with this arrangement, please let me know as soon as possible. I would appreciate it if you could fall out of love with him (=let us know if there will be a problem)."
10. Catch a break / giving someone a break
What does it mean? To get an opportunity, usually something good (e.g., after failing many exams in the past you finally got your parents to agree to give you one more chance).
How is this used in conversations? Imagine your friend played basketball for five hours every day, and he then explained how tired he was because of that. You would say: "Why don't you go out with me today – I will catch a break and use this opportunity to hang out with somebody else." (Note how 'catch' sounds calmer than 'get'. If something is already yours, it seems better.)
How might this be used in business emails? When asking someone for permission for a day off, it is vital to give the right reasons – especially when you have already used up all your vacation days this year. However, sometimes people are not willing to tell the truth about their feelings, so you have to find out by using this expression: "We're planning on a company picnic next week. Is it possible that we move your husband's workday forward by one hour to make sure he can visit us? If there wouldn't be any problems with this arrangement, please let me know as soon as possible. I would appreciate it if you could catch a break (=let us know if there will be a problem)."
11. Feel out of place / feeling out of place
What does it mean? To feel uncomfortable in some place or situation where you are not used to be or feel you don't fit in; feeling like a stranger (e.g., when you visit a new country and do not know anybody there).
How is this used in conversations? Imagine your friend goes shopping with his/her mother and then explains how tired he was because of this (=tired from doing something that seems unusual for him/her). You would say: "I bet it's hard to feel out of place at the mall with your mom."
How might this be used in business emails? When asking someone for permission for a day off, it is crucial to give the right reasons – especially when you have already used up all your vacation days this year. However, sometimes people are unwilling to tell the truth about their feelings, so you have to find out by using this expression: "We're planning on a company picnic next week. Is it possible that we move your husband's workday forward by one hour to make sure he can visit us? If there wouldn't be any problems with this arrangement, please let me know as soon as possible. I would appreciate it if you could feel out of place (=let us know if there will be a problem)."
12. Get quality time / give someone quality time
What does it mean? To spend some relaxed time together; talking or doing something pleasant (e.g., after arguing with your parents you didn't want to go back home still angry; you tried to 'get quality time with them).
How is this used in conversations? Imagine your friend wants to buy a new laptop, and he/she explains how hard it was for them to get quality time (i.e., the necessary peace) because of that (=hard because of what seemed unusual for them). You would say: "Why don't you come over today? I will give you some quality time (=make sure there will be enough quietness)."
How might this be used in business emails? When asking someone for permission for a day off, it is essential to give the right reasons – especially when you have already used up all your vacation days this year. However, sometimes people are unwilling to tell the truth about their feelings, so you have to find out by using this expression: "We're planning on a company picnic next week. Is it possible that we move your husband's workday forward by one hour to make sure he can visit us? If there wouldn't be any problems with this arrangement, please let me know as soon as possible. I would appreciate it if you could give me some quality time (=make sure there will be enough quietness)."
13. Give someone a heads up / get a heads up
What does it mean? (1) To receive information before others; to be told earlier than others (e.g., when buying an airline ticket you should give them a heads up (=tell them beforehand that you will probably buy a such-and-such ticket); (2) to be warned about something ahead of time; to be prepared for some bad news or unpleasant event.
How is this used in conversations? Imagine your friend explains how they gave the mechanic a heads up (=told him about his car's problems in advance) before getting a new windshield. You would say: "Good, I'm sure everything worked out fine."
How might this be used in business emails? If your company uses online tests for job applications, you probably already know what it means when someone gets a heads up (=finds out earlier than other people who test they have to pass).
14. Get something down on paper / put something down on paper / put your thoughts down on paper
What does it mean? (1) To write some information or ideas down; to create a written document (e.g., when you want to make a contract with someone, you should get all the terms and conditions down on paper); (2) to remember something for later; to jot something down somewhere for future reference. The best way of doing that is writing it down – but sometimes, we can only 'get our thoughts' or 'put our feelings' from our heads into words.
How is this used in conversations? Imagine your friend explains how she puts her daily tasks by the door every evening so she can get them down on paper. You would say: "That sounds like a good way of doing things."
How might this be used in business emails? When you write an email (written document) and send it to someone else, you can put your thoughts on paper (=make sure other people have the same information). Naturally, if some contract is involved writing it down beforehand is essential – but even when just talking about business ideas in emails, putting your thoughts down on paper (=writing them down) could make sure nothing gets lost or misunderstood.
15. Back off / back away from something / pull back from something
What does it mean? (1) To move backwards; to step away from something (e.g., if someone is too close to you, you might say: "Back off a little, please."); (2) to reduce your efforts; to stop doing something (e.g., if you are trying to prove some scientific theory and it seems impossible, one way out could be 'to back away from the theory); (3) to give up in general.
How is this used in conversations? Imagine your friend tells you that they backed away from one of their dreams – you would probably ask them what has changed (=what they have done differently).
How might this be used in business emails? When reading job ads, it's common for employers to list all the requirements, but sometimes they also include information about who is not suitable. That could be an example of 'backing off' – employers try to attract people who are a good fit (=fit the required criteria) while being careful to avoid those who might not work well at their company or in that particular position.
16. Come clean / get something off your chest
What does it mean? (1) To confess things you have done wrong; to tell the truth about something you feel bad about; (2) to say what is on your mind; to express what is bothering you (e.g., imagine your friend comes clean and explains why they feel like withdrawing from one of their courses).
How is this used in conversations? Imagine your friend tells you that they've been holding back (=been keeping a secret) for too long and can't keep it coming any longer (=hold it from coming to the surface). You might say: "I'm glad you told me – it's always good to get things off your chest."
How might this be used in business emails? Employees could come clean about feeling unconfident about their future at the company, feel they are no longer happy there or even let someone know that they disagree with what is going on. If someone lets you know one of those things via email, 'coming clean' could mean being honest enough to tell them how you feel despite not wanting to lose your job.
17. Bring something / bring about something (= cause something)
What does it mean? (1) To move a physical object to the place where there is someone who wants or needs it; (2) to help someone see sense; to make them change their mind about something they were planning on doing; (3) to start an event that is likely to have future consequences (=a result). Bringing = helping someone do/see/understand things you want them to realise or be aware of. When you say bring, you can also add 'about' – so bringing it up could mean 'bringing it up for discussion'. I would recommend memorising these 2 expressions in particular: "to be brought up" (to receive your basic education as a child) and "to be brought up" (e.g., when someone is sure they know who has done something, they can bring it up by asking: "So, who did this?").
How is this used in conversations? Imagine the weather forecast warns you about bad weather (=it brings it to your attention that there might be bad weather ahead); imagine your teacher tells you how to study for an exam (=they bring out what you should remember about a topic) – or maybe someone's advice brought something right back from your memory (=you remembered things that happened long ago).
How might this be used in business emails? In job ads, employers try to describe their company values (=what they try to achieve for their employees) and explain why it is good (=why it brings out things that make many people want to work there). They also might say that someone has brought about changes (=made some improvements) – what kinds of changes could they mean? Maybe a new job title or pay grade, or perhaps an improvement in working relationships with co-workers.
18. Burn your bridges / burn bridges (idiom); means you are unlikely ever to be able to go back to where you were before. If you do this, you will have no chance of success!
What does it mean? (1) To destroy something (e.g., imagine if you burnt down a bridge so no one could use it again); (2) to make an enemy who won't forgive you, even if you apologise for something wrong you've done; (3) to lose your reputation so completely that nothing can repair the damage. When you say "burn bridges", it means many things are going to become impossible (=impossible options).
How is this used in conversations? Imagine someone says: "Don't burn your bridges here – we might need your help later on." They mean there will come a time when they will want something from you – and in this case, they don't think it's a good idea for you to incur resentment sooner rather than later (=to do something that makes people dislike or hate you).
How might this be used in business emails? Suppose you work for a start-up company and someone says that they would like to help it out (=help the team) – but if things don't go well, they don't want to burn their bridges (=to risk creating bad feelings toward themselves). The successful entrepreneur Richard Branson published an article titled "10 Mistakes To Avoid When Starting Your Own Business" – one mistake he warned about was burning your bridges (=not being nice or polite while dealing with people who help you get established)!
19. Break away from (idiom); means find a solution which is different from everyone else's. It is not easy to do this!
What does it mean? (1) To get away from something or someone (e.g., you might have to break away from school to go travelling abroad); (2) to stop being involved with a group of people who are doing the same things as you; (3) sometimes, instead of breaking away from something, you try to break into something (=try and get inside it). When you say 'breakaway, it means that somehow, someway, you're going to be more different than other people – likely in an intentional way (=by your own choice).
How is this used in conversations? Imagine the weather forecast warns about bad storms coming later in the day (=there might be some danger if they hit now). You can then say: "We need to break away and stay indoors." They mean that they have to get inside before the rain or lightning quickly (e.g., when lightning hits somewhere) becomes too bad (=very dangerous).
How might this be used in business emails? Imagine a big company employs you, but your boss asks if you could spend some time on an independent project (=a project created without help from other people). You then tell them you would like to break away, saying: "I'd like to look at another option" – i.e., something different from whatever they're suggesting. This means that you want to work with someone else or find a different method of dealing with things.
20. Catch sight of / catch sight of (idiom); means to see something for a short time, usually when you are passing by.
What does it mean? (1) To suddenly see someone or something that no one else can; (2) to notice something new without any preparation (=you weren't expecting to find it). When you say "catch sight of", it means you have an opportunity to quickly look at something, but not for very long.
How is this used in conversations? If someone sees your friend's bag being stolen on the subway and shouts: "Hey! Catch sight of who's taking your bag!" they are asking other people if they can also see the thief wandering away with their belongings. You might want to ask them: "How did you catch sight of them – was it easy or difficult?"
How might this be used in business emails? Suppose a company is looking for someone with marketing experience. Someone from the HR department might send them an email saying: "Catch sight of our latest job opportunity!" It means that they are telling the recipient to look at an advertisement (=an example) online and see if there's something suitable for them.
21. Reach out (idiom); means to try and contact someone, usually by using technology such as social networks. This expression often refers to a man trying to start a relationship with a young woman he meets on the internet!
What does it mean? (1) To try to contact someone you haven't spoken to for a long time; (2) to find out more information about something, perhaps by using the internet; (3) to politely ask for help or support (=to extend your hand and offer help). When you "reach out", it means that you want to get closer to somebody – often emotionally.
How is this used in conversations? Imagine the local football team has won one of its matches, so the players are going around shaking hands with everyone on the sidelines. Afterwards, they go into their locker room and reach out to each other when they change clothes – e.g., hug each other as a sign of friendship. If someone says: "I'm proud of the way they've all reached out to each other", it means that people have been reaching out to others in an effortless (=without any problems) and friendly manner.
How might this be used in business emails? In a work environment, you can reach out for help if you are trying to find someone (e.g., looking for the IT department.) You could write: "Can anyone reach out to me?" This means that whoever receives your email should try and help you – even though they aren't directly involved. However, note that many slang expressions mean something similar as 'reach out. For example: "can anyone reach around?", "can anyone reach up?", etc., will also mean 'can you help?'
22. In-betweener (noun); means a person who is not part of an established group but has moderate views.
What does it mean? Someone with in-betweener opinions is neutral (=neither supporting nor opposing anything). For example, in the UK, there's a debate about whether doctors should be allowed to perform abortions; if someone claims to have "in-between" opinions on this subject, they're showing that they are neither pro-abortion (=for it) or anti-abortion (=against it.) It also refers to people whose views aren't extreme – for example, if you say: "I'm just an in-betweener", it means you don't support any extremist parties.
How is this used in conversations? If you say: "I'm an in-betweener", it means that you're taking a neutral stand on something – perhaps because you don't have explicit opinions, or maybe you want to avoid arguing with other people. However, note that in the US, there's a different meaning for 'in-betweeners'. They use this expression to refer to new jobs which last for only six months or so (=unemployment.) So if they use the expression "I've been out of work since my job as an in-betweener ended", they mean they haven't found a permanent position yet and are still looking!
How might this be used in business emails? If your company decides to sell one of its properties (=an asset), the sale must be handled correctly; for example, it might be best to use an independent lawyer. So if they write an email saying: "We'd like you to handle the negotiations with X about selling their building", they mean someone neutral and will help both sides come to a fair agreement. This is entirely different from 'in-betweeners' in the UK – so whenever you hear or read this expression, check whether they're referring to jobs or something else!
23. On ice (idiom); means waiting patiently until something gets decided.
What does it mean? When something is on ice, it is usually because people want time to think about important issues. For example, when you're in a meeting and it's time to make decisions, someone might say: "I just want us to put this issue on ice for the moment while we talk about other things." They mean that they don't want others to focus on any problems which have occurred (=problems need to be dealt with at a later date.)
How is this used in conversations? If you say: "Let's leave that discussion on ice until everyone has finished eating", it means you want people to wait before talking so they can relax and enjoy their meal. Another example will be if an employee writes to her manager, saying: "I have some concerns about the way we tendered for contracts – can we discuss this in detail later?" This means she wants the company to wait before discussing problems with the tender (=the bidding process) because she's still upset.
How might this be used in business emails? Something can also be put on ice if you want time to think about it. For example, someone could write an email saying: "I'd like to propose a new solution for improving production – but I'll do that after our meeting; let's just move onto other things." By putting something 'on ice', you're making people aware that there are essential concerns that need to be discussed at a later date. Note that this is different from 'putting something on hold'. To put something on hold simply means postponing ('deferring') a decision (=you don't think it's the right time to discuss this yet.)
24. Over my dead body (idiom)
If someone says this when you propose something, they mean they're vehemently against it and will stop it from happening at any cost! As a response to an idea or request which is entirely unacceptable, this expression can be compelling! It also has another meaning; for example, if someone is anxious about something, they might say: "If you disagree with me about this, I'll go over your head (=someone else's) to get it resolved." So if we put these two phrases together, we can say that someone is very forceful and adamant in their opinion!
What does it mean? If someone says: "Over my dead body!" this means they're opposed to an idea. We often hear politicians saying things like: 'When people talk about increasing welfare spending, I'm the first person who will stand up and oppose them.' In other words, specific ideas are so serious that he will work very hard to stop them from happening – even if it means getting into a fight! This expression is often used to show someone's extreme opposition to a proposal, which is why you often hear people saying: "I'm against this idea over my dead body." Businesses deal with disagreements all the time – but it also helps to be aware of how you might express your feelings in an email. For example, imagine that two employees disagree about a new policy or procedures for handling customer applications. One person may write an angry email saying something like: "When I heard we were going to change our policies regarding pension schemes, I was furious! There must be absolutely no way we're doing this!" This shows how strongly opposed they are feeling because these words mean exactly what they say – "I will work hard to stop this from happening!"
How is this used in conversations? Let's look at another example of how someone might use this expression: If you are going to suggest something to your boss which could go against the company's official policy, it's best to be very careful. For example, if you want more flexible working hours and don't think it will affect the business negatively, you'll find that many managers won't accept this idea 'over their dead body'. It doesn't mean they're trying to stop others from getting what they want; it just means they believe strict rules should always be followed. Now imagine that Jane writes an email saying: "This new initiative is significant for our team – so I'd like us all to work an extra three hours every week." The boss, however, replies: "I would never agree to this. Over my dead body!" This response is substantial because the words 'over my dead body' clearly mean that he will do everything he can to stop it from happening. It's also a good way of showing how strongly someone feels about something – so it's crucial that Jane does her research before approaching him again in future!
Final Thoughts
English business idioms are great to use when you want to show someone you're serious or when you want to pre-empt a problem before it occurs. For example, if a colleague proposes an idea long-term and will take years to achieve, saying: "We need to look at that over the next twelve months" isn't enough. It doesn't mean they agree with your plan, but simply that they 'see' what you're talking about – and are going to consider it in the future. However, when people say: "We need to talk this over for the next few months," they've got your plan covered – because it means 'they'll do everything necessary so we can get there.
It's essential for everyone who wants to succeed in business to know how to use idioms like these.
Until next time!
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