Take the floor   When someone takes the floor, they rise to make a speech or   presentation.  "When I take the floor, my speech will be short." he said.  Take a nosedive   If something takes a nosedive, it drops or decreases in value very   rapidly.   "The stock market took a nosedive when the property market began   to weaken."  Take something offline   If you suggest that a subject be taken offline, (during a meeting for   example), you consider that it is a separate issue and should be   discussed at another time.   "Peter, you're confusing things, so let's take that offline shall we?"  Talk shop    If you talk shop, you talk about your work or business in a social   situation with someone you work with, and make the conversation   boring for the others present.   "I never go out with my colleagues because we inevitably end up   talking shop."  There for the taking   If something is there for the taking, it is easy to obtain.   "When our main competitor went out of business, the market was   there for the taking."  Think outside the box/out of the box   People who think outside the box try to find innovative ideas or   solutions.   "Our competitors are more creative than us - they really think outside   the  box.  Throw it over the wall   If someone throws something over the wall, they deal with part   of a problem or project, then pass responsibility to another person   or department without any communication or coordination.   "You can't just manufacture a product and then throw it over the wall   to the sales department." Top dog   To say that a person, group or country is top dog means that   they are better or more powerful than others.   "She's top dog in cosmetics today."  Tricks of the trade   This expression refers to a clever or expert way of doing things,   especially in a job.   "He's a tough negotiator; he knows all the tricks of the trade."  Up and running   If a business or a plan is up and running, it has started and is   functioning successfully.   "In some countries you can have a company up and running in a   very short time."  Nothing ventured, nothing gained    This expression means that you cannot expect to achieve anything   if you risk nothing.   "He's going to ask his boss for a promotion even though he has   little chance of obtaining satisfaction - nothing ventured, nothing gained!"  Walking papers   If you are given your walking papers, your contract or a relationship   is ended.   "After causing a diplomatic incident, Carter got his walking papers."    Wear many hats   Someone who wears many hats has to do many different types   of tasks or play a variety of roles.   "Our company is small so the employees need to be flexible and   accept to wear many hats.  Wheeling and dealing   Someone accused of wheeling and dealing is thought to be   involved in complicated, if not dishonest, deals in business or politics.   "Since the beginning of the election campaign, there's been a lot of   wheeling and dealing going on."  Win-win    The term win-win refers to a situation or proposition where both or   all parties benefit from the outcome.   "There were smiles all round when the contract was signed - it was    a win-win situation."  Sweetheart deal   The term sweetheart deal  is used to refer to an abnormally   lucrative arrangement between two parties.   "Opponents say that the contract was awarded to the builder as part   of a sweetheart deal, and is therefore illegal."  Start the ball rolling   If you start the ball rolling, you start an activity in which other people   will join.         "Let's start the ball rolling by calling on our first speaker."  Sweat of your brow   If you earn or achieve something by the sweat of your brow, you do it   through hard work and without help from anyone.   "I got a comfortable lifestyle by the sweat of my brow. I owe it to nobody   but myself."  In smooth waters   A business or operation which is in smooth waters is making regular and   easy progress.   "The company seems to be in smooth waters these days."  Put a spanner in the works   To put a spanner in the works means to cause problems and   prevent something from happening as planned.   (In the US, the word wrench or monkey wrench is used instead of spanner)  Signed, sealed and delivered    When an agreement, contract or treaty is signed, sealed and delivered,   all the legal documents have been signed.    "It is hoped that the agreement will be signed, sealed and delivered   before the end of the week."  Skeleton staff/crew   If a business or organization works with a skeleton staff, it is run with the   smallest number of people necessary.   "The office is closed  the week after Christmas but there will be a skeleton  staff to handle essential operations."  Shape up or ship out   This expression is used to warn someone that if they do not improve,   they will have to leave their job.   "When Tom started neglecting the customers, he was told to shape up   or ship out."  Shotgun approach   If you use a shotgun approach, you cover a wide range in a   non-selective, haphazard and inefficient manner.   "Identifying a specific segment of the market as our target will be   more effective than a shotgun approach.  Separate the sheep from the goats   If you separate the sheep from the goats, you examine a group of   people and decide which are good and which are not so good.   "Examining job applications is the first stage in separating the sheep   from the goats.  Set the stage (for something)   If you set the stage for an event or a development, you create   conditions that allow it to happen.   "The agreement set the stage for their future working relationship."    Seal of approval   If a project or contract receives a seal of approval, it receives formal   support or approval from higher authorities.   "We can't conclude the deal without the director's seal of approval."  Roll up your sleeves   When you roll up your sleeves, you get ready for hard work.   "To increase our market share we'll have to roll up our sleeves and   find new customers."  Learn the ropes   If you learn the ropes, you learn how to a particular job correctly.  Run round in circles   People who run round in a circles have difficulty in achieving things   because of lack of organization.   "Running round in circles will get us nowhere - we need to set up a plan."    Not up to scratch   If something or somebody is not up to scratch, they are not as good   as they should be.  A race against time   If someone is in a race against time, they have to work very quickly   in order to do or finish something before a certain time.  Red tape    The term red tape refers to official rules and bureaucratic paperwork   that prevent things from being done quickly.   "If there wasn't so much red tape, the company would be up and   running already."  Roaring trade   If you do a roaring trade in a particular field, you do excellent business.  "The sports shop is doing a roaring trade in bicycles these days."  Put your shoulder to the wheel   If you put your shoulder to the wheel, you start putting a lot of effort   into a difficult task.   "We'll have to put our shoulders to the wheel to get the store ready for   the opening day."  Pull your weight   If you say that someone pulls their weight, you mean that   they do their fair share of the work.   "It's great working with Sandra.  She always pulls her weight."  Pull strings      If somebody pulls strings, they use influential friends in order to obtain   an advantage.  "David found a job easily - his Dad just pulled a few strings!"  Play second fiddle    If you play second fiddle to somebody, you accept to be second in   importance to that person, or have a lower position.  Play for time   If you play for time, you try to delay or prevent something from   happening in order to gain an advantage.   "He decided to play for time in the hope that the price would decrease."  Play the game   If you play the game, you accept to do things according to   the rules laid down by others.  Pick up steam   If  something such as a project or process picks up steam, it starts   to develop or become more active.   "The campaign started slowly but it picked up steam after Christmas."  In the pipeline   If something is in the pipeline, it is in progress or being organized   at the moment.  Pass the buck   If you say that someone is passing the buck, you are accusing them   of not taking responsibility for a problem and letting others deal with it   instead.   "Whenever a customer comes to complain, she always finds a way of    looking busy.  Talk about passing the buck!"  Pass muster   If someone or something passes muster, they are considered to be   satisfactory or acceptable.   "The interview went well. I hope I'll pass muster."  Overplay your hand   If you overplay your hand, you are overconfident and spoil your   chances of success by trying to obtain too much.   "Sam is hoping for a bonus for his good results, but he may be   overplaying his hand if he asks for a promotion."  Ostrich strategy/politics   This term refers to the phenomenon of ignoring or evading an obvious    problem in the hope that it will resolve itself or disappear.   "Adopting an ostrich strategy will only make matters worse - we've got    to find a solution!"  Nuts and bolts   The nuts and bolts of something are the detailed facts and the practical   aspects.   "We need to discuss the nuts and bolts of the proposal before going   any further."    Nitty-gritty   When people get down to the nitty-gritty, they begin to discuss the   most important points or the practical details.   "I was interested in the project, but we didn't get down to the nitty-gritty   until his partner arrived."  Movers and shakers   The term movers and shakers refers to people in power who take   an active part in making things happen.   "Movers and shakers are assembling in Brussels for the summit."  Move the goalposts   During a course of action, if someone moves the goalposts, they   change the rules or conditions.   "We've decided on a sales campaign.    Let's hope the boss doesn't move the goalposts halfway through! "  Monkey business   An activity which is organized in a deceitful or dishonest way is   called monkey business.    "The results announced seem suspicious - I think there's some    monkey business going on!"  Put money where your mouth is   If you put money where your mouth is, you give financial support   to activities and causes that you believe are right.  Money spinner   If an activity is a money spinner, it is a very successful way of   making money.   "Washing cars was quite a money spinner when I was a student."  Make hay while the sun shines    This expression is used as an encouragement to take advantage   of a good situation which may not last.   Successful sportsmen are advised to make hay while the sun shines.  Lip service    If you pay lip service to an idea or cause, you give verbal support or   approval but fail to actually do anything.   "In spite of promising equal pay for women, the management is   suspected of  paying lip service to the promotion of women's rights."  Licence to print money   This expression refers to an officially authorized activity which enables   people to make a lot of money without much effort.    "The contract to supply computers to schools was a licence to print   money."  The left hand doesn't know what   This expression means that communication within a group or organization  the right hand is doing     is so bad that people don't know what the others are doing.   Let me bounce this off you.    You say this when you present an idea or plan to someone in order to test   their reaction or obtain feedback.   "I think I've found a way of making money.  Let me bounce this off you."  Learn the hard way   If you learn the hard way, you learn through your own experience,   good and bad, rather than from the advice or guidance of others.   "His refusal to accept any help meant that he had to learn the hard   way."  Lame duck   A person or organization that is in difficulty and unable to manage   without help is called a lame duck.   "Some banks have become lame ducks recently."  Knuckle down to something   If someone knuckles down to something, they start to work on it     seriously.     "If you want to succeed, you'll have to knuckle down to some serious work."  Keep your nose to the grindstone   A person who keeps their nose to the grindstone is someone who   concentrates on working hard at his job.  Hit the ground running   If someone hits the ground running, they are ready to start work   immediately on a new activity.   "He intends to hit the ground running when he starts his new job."  Keep one's head above water   To keep one's head above water means to try to survive   by staying out of debt, for example a small business.  Jump on the bandwagon    If a person or organization jumps on the bandwagon,   they decide to do something when it is already successful or fashionable.   "When organic food became popular, certain stores were quick   to jump on the bandwagon and promote it."  Irons in the fire   If you have a few, or many, irons in the fire, you are involved in   a number of projects at the same time.   "The travel agency is not his only venture - he's got more than one    iron in the fire."  Household name/word   When the name of someone or something becomes very familiar   because it is so often used, it is called a household name or word.   "The product was so successful that its name became a household   word in no time."  Hive of activity   hive of activity   (also: a beehive)   A place where there are lots of things happening, and everyone   is very busy, is called a hive of activity.   "When I arrived at the office, it was already a hive of activity."  Get the hang of something   When you get the hang of an activity, you now know how to do it   correctly.  Have one's hands tied    If a person has their hands tied, something, such as an agreement   or a rule, is preventing them from doing what they would like to do.   "Mark deserves to earn more, but the manager's hands are tied   by the recent salary agreement."  All hands on deck   When there is a need for all hands on deck,  everyone must help,     especially when there's a lot of work to be done in a short amount of time.     "As the opening day approached, it was all hands on deck to have     everything ready in time."  The upper hand   If a person or organization gets or gains the upper hand, they take      control over something.  One hand washes the other...  This expression means that when people cooperate and work well  (... and together they wash the face.)  together, there is a better chance of achieving results.   Grease somebody's palm    If you accuse someone of greasing somebody's palm, you are   accusing them of giving money to someone in order to gain an unfair   advantage, or to obtain something they want.   "In some countries, it is common practice to grease government officials'   palms."  Golden parachute   A golden parachute is a clause in an executive's employment contract   stating that the executive will receive certain large benefits if their   employment is terminated.  Golden handshake   A golden handshake is a generous sum of money given to a person   when they leave a company or retire   (sometimes given to encourage early retirement).  Golden handcuffs   The term golden handcuffs refers to a large sum of money or a   generous financial arrangement granted to an executive as an incentive   to stay in their job, or to ensure long-term cooperation after their departure.  Go for a song    If something goes for a song, it is sold at an unexpectedly low price.   "I was able to buy the car simply because it going for a song."  Give someone a run for their money   If you give someone a run for their money, you present strong   competition in  circumstances where the other person expects to   win easily.   "We didn't win the match but we gave the other team a run for their money  Get something off the ground   If you get something off the ground, you put it into operation after   having organized it.   "After a lot of hard work, we finally got the campaign off the ground.   Get your hands dirty   If you get your hands dirty in your job, you become involved in all   aspects of it, including work that is physical, unpleasant or less   interesting.   "His willingness to get his hands dirty won the respect and approval   of the whole team.  A free hand   If you have a free hand, you have permission to make your own   decisions, especially in a job.   "My boss has given me a free hand in the choice of agent."  Get down to brass tacks   When people get down to brass tacks, they start to discuss the   essential aspects of a problem or situation.   "The situation was so serious that after a few polite exchanges,   they immediately got down to brass tacks."  A foot in the door   To say that someone has a foot in the door means that they have a   small but successful start in something, and will possibly do well in   the future.   "With today's unemployment, it's difficult to get a foot in the door in   any profession."  A finger in every pie    If someone has a finger in every pie,  they are involved in many   activities   "For information about the town development project, you should talk    to John Brown. He has a finger in every pie."  Work your fingers to the bone   A person who works their fingers to the bone is extremely hardworking.   "He deserves his success; he worked his fingers to the bone   when he started the business."  Think on one's feet    A person who thinks on their feet is capable of making good decisions   without previous thinking or  planning.   "Good lawyers need to be able to think on their feet when pleading a case."  Rushed off your feet.   If your are rushed off your feet, your are extremely busy.   "I'd love to have lunch with you but we're rushed off our feet at the moment   at the office."  Fiddling while Rome burns   If you say that somebody is fiddling while Rome burns, you mean   that they are doing unimportant things while there are serious problems   to be dealt with   "His visit to the trade fair was 'fiddling while Rome burns' according to   the strikers."  Drag one's feet   If you say that a person is dragging their feet, you think they are   unnecessarily delaying a decision which is important to you.  Farm something out   If something such as work is farmed out, it is sent out to be done by   others.   "We farmed out the packaging to another company."  Feather your nest   To say of someone that they are feathering their nest is to say that   they are taking advantage of their position in order to obtain money   so as to have a comfortable life.  An eager beaver   The term eager beaver refers to a person who is hardworking and   enthusiastic, sometimes considered overzealous.   "The new accountant works all the time - first to arrive and last to leave   -a real eager beaver!"  Have all your eggs in one basket    If you have all your eggs in one basket, you depend on one plan   or one source of income.   "If you invest your savings in one bank, you'll have all your eggs in one   basket."  Drastic times call for drastic measures   When faced with a difficult situation, it is sometimes necessary to take   actions which in normal circumstances would appear extreme.   "Sales dropped so significantly that the company decided to drop the   product line. Drastic times call for drastic measures!"  Dream ticket   If you refer to two people as a dream ticket, you think they would   work well together and be successful.   "Clinton and Obama teaming up for the general election would be a   dream ticket for many Democrats."  Doom and gloom   A general atmosphere of pessimism, and a feeling that the situation is   not going to improve, is referred to as doom and gloom.   "Fortunately it's not doom and gloom for all businesses,    in spite of the economic situation."  Down the drain   To say that money, time or effort has gone down the drain, means   that it has been wasted or lost.   "His years of research went down the drain when the company   went bankrupt."  Done and dusted   When a project, task or activity is done and dusted, it is completely   finished or ready.   "I've nearly finished preparing the presentation. When it's all done and    dusted I'll be able to relax."  Donkey work   This expression is used to describe the unpleasant, boring parts of a job.   "I do the donkey work - my boss gets the credit!"  In the doldrums   To say that a person, a business or the economy in general is in the   doldrums means that the situation is gloomy and that nothing new is   happening.   "Despite the recent measures, the economy remains in the doldrums."  A done deal   This expression is used to refer to an agreement or decision which has   been reached on a certain matter.   "We're still considering several proposals, so it's not a done deal yet."  Dead wood   The term dead wood refers to people or things which are no longer   considered useful or necessary.   "The management wants to reduce costs by cutting out the dead wood."  Do the spadework   Someone who does the spadework does the preparatory work   or the preliminary research for something.   "Although I did all the spadework, my name was never mentioned."  Dog eat dog   This expression refers to intense competition and rivalry in pursuit of   one's own interests, with no concern for morality.   "The business world is tough today.  There's a general dog-eat-dog   attitude."  Corner a market   If a company dominates an area of business, and leaves no room for   competition, it is said to have cornered the market.   "By importing large quantities and selling at low prices, they have   cornered the market."  Cut and dried   To refer to a situation, a problem or a solution as cut and dried means   that it is considered clear and straightforward, with no likely complications.   "When the new manager arrived, he didn't find the situation as cut and   dried as he had  expected."  Make cold calls   If you make cold calls, you telephone potential customers from   a list of people you do not know.   "In my first job I had to make cold calls using the telephone directory."  Copper-bottomed   To describe something such as a plan, a contract or a financial   arrangement as 'copper-bottomed' means that it is completely   safe or reliable.   "He has signed a copper-bottomed agreement with a distributor."  Clinch a deal   In a business relationship, if you clinch a deal, you reach agreement   on a proposal or offer.   "Tom's final argument enabled us to clinch the deal."  Cog in the machine  If you say that someone is a cog in the machine, you mean that,  while they are necessary,  they only play a small part in an  organization or plan.  "The police quickly realized that the suspect was just a cog in the  machine."  A cash cow    A product or service which is a regular source of income for a company   is called a cash cow.   "His latest invention turned out to be a real cash cow."  Cash in your chips   If you cash in your chips, you sell something, especially shares,   either because you need the money or because you think the value is   going to fall.   "Andy cashed in his chips as soon as business started to slow down."  Pass the buck   If you say that someone is passing the buck, you are accusing them   of not taking responsibility for a problem and expecting someone else   to handle it.  Carve out a niche   A person or company who carves out a niche focuses on a particular   segment of the market, to which they supply a product or service, and   develop their expertise in that area.    "In today's competitive market it's better to carve out a niche and try to   become the best in that area."  Get the show on the road   If you manage to put a plan or idea into action, you get the show   on the road.   "OK!  We've got all we need, so let's get the show on the road!"  Bricks and mortar/ bricks and clicks    An established trading company (office/shop) is referred to as a   'brick-and-mortar' business.    'Click companies' refer to Internet-based operations.   Companies which do both are called 'bricks and clicks'.   "Click businesses are usually more flexible than brick-and-mortar   operations."  Get down to brass tacks   People who get down to brass tacks start to discuss and deal with   the practical details of something   "It was decided to get down to brass tacks and discuss the cost of   the project."  Blue chip company   This term refers to a company with a solid reputation for the quality of   its products and the stability of its growth and earnings.   "It's usually safe to invest in a blue-chip company.   Above board   If a situation or business is described as above board, it is open,   honest and legal.   "There are no secret negotiations.  Our dealings have always been   above board."  Ambulance chaser   This terms refers to a lawyer who finds work by persuading people   injured in accidents to claim money from the person who caused   the accident.   "Peterson & Scott are well-known ambulance chasers - that's how   they make their money!"  Bait and switch   This term refers to a deceptive commercial practice of advertising a   low-priced item to attract customers, then telling them that the product   is out of stock and persuading them to buy a more expensive article.  "This store is famous for its bait and switch tactics."  Blamestorming   A discussion among a group of people, who try to determine who or   what is to blame for a particular mistake, failure or wrongdoing, is called   'blamestorming'.   "A blamestorming session took place following the unfavourable reviews   in the press."  A blank cheque    If you give someone a blank cheque, you authorize them to do   what they think is best in a difficult situation.   "Tom was given a blank cheque and told to negotiate the best deal   possible."  Have an ace up your sleeve.   If you have an ace up your sleeve, it means that you have   something in reserve with which you can gain an advantage.  Hold all the aces    A person who holds all the aces is in a very strong position   because they have more advantages than anyone else.   "Given the high unemployment figures in some countries,   employers hold all the aces."    Signposting language  Phrases used to help focus the audience's attention on different  parts of a presentation    O.H.T.  Overhead transparency : sheet of film with an image or  printed information for overhead projector    Overhead projector  Device that projects an O.H.T. onto a screen    Outline  Brief description or presentation    Microphone  Electrical instrument used to amplify the speaker's voice    Handout  Written information (report etc) given to people at a presentation