The Business World, Office Life & Work, Job Responsibilities & Tasks and 6 More Topics · English Idioms: Work Money

a broad marketing strategy that uses multiple tactics to reach a wide audience, but without a clear understanding of the target market, leading to a less effective use of resources

"Their shotgun approach failed."

"The company's shotgun approach to advertising, targeting everyone, proved ineffective and wasted valuable marketing funds."

a business that produces a great deal of profit

"The business is a going concern."

"With its innovative products and strong market share, the company is a very profitable going concern."

to have a busy business, selling a lot of goods or services

"They do a roaring trade daily."

"The new bakery does a roaring trade every morning because people love their fresh bread."

used to refer to something, particularly a bank account, that is providing one with a considerable amount of profit

"Our business is finally in the black."

"After several difficult years the business is finally back in the black and making a good profit."

to engage in sexual activities in exchange for money

"She turns tricks downtown."

"The documentary explored how economic hardship drove many young women to turn tricks just to pay for basic necessities."

a valuable or significant discovery, often resulting in financial gain or success

"The miners finally hit pay dirt."

"The miners finally hit pay dirt after drilling for months and found a rich vein of silver."

(especially of a business) having a physical, real-world location

"It's a bricks-and-mortar shop."

"While online sales are growing, many customers still prefer the experience of shopping at a traditional bricks-and-mortar store."

the minimum staff required for a business to run at a basic level

"The hospital is running on a skeleton crew."

"The hospital runs on a skeleton staff during the night shift when only emergencies are treated."

the service that is available only at certain times or under certain conditions

"The train runs a skeleton service on holidays."

"The train runs a skeleton service on holidays and only operates every two hours instead of hourly."

a business, product, or activity that generates a lot of profit

"The new product is a money spinner."

"The new product is a money spinner and has already generated millions in sales."

used for saying that one has more than enough money, usually gained in a transaction

"I am ten dollars in pocket."

"After the successful sale of my old furniture, I was a hundred dollars in pocket."

the amount that was profited or lost in an organization or company after everything was calculated

"The bottom line was profit."

"After all expenses were accounted for, the company's bottom line showed a substantial increase in profitability this year."

something that is a typical or normal part of a person's job

"For a firefighter, this is all in a day's work."

"Dealing with difficult customers is all in a day's work for a restaurant waiter."

to combine enjoyable activities with one's work

"I don't like to mix business with pleasure."

"I prefer not to mix business with pleasure so I do not date my colleagues at work."

a draining and stressful lifestyle that consists of constantly competing with others for success, wealth, power, etc. and so leaving no room for rest and pleasure

"Corporate rat race."

"Many people want to escape the stressful corporate rat race of modern city life."

to have work-related discussions outside of work, particularly when it is annoying or inappropriate

"They always talk shop."

"During the family dinner, it was frustrating when the colleagues started to talk shop about their latest project."

used to refer to the lack of communication between the different parts of an organization about their roles or activities that leads to confusion and dysfunction

"Nobody told the sales team about the change — the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing."

"The two departments launched conflicting campaigns on the same day — a classic case of the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing."

official procedures or rules that are unnecessary and time-consuming

"Too much red tape delayed the new building project."

"Starting a small business requires dealing with so much government red tape that many entrepreneurs become frustrated with the endless paperwork and delays."

to no longer make new entries when an accounting period is at its end

"Let's close the books on this project."

"The accountant stayed late to close the books for the financial year before the holiday."

conflict between the people of an organization or company that leads to unpleasant situations

"There was blood on the carpet."

"The recent merger has caused a lot of blood on the carpet as departments are reorganized and staff are let go."

a person who holds the highest rank in a particular group or organization

"She is top dog."

"After years of hard work and dedication, she finally became the top dog in the company."

a person or thing that has recently joined a specific place, field, company, group, etc.

"I am the new kid on the block."

"I am the new kid on the block so please be patient while I learn how things work."

something or someone that has been at a place for so long that one no longer notices them

"He is part of the furniture."

"The old librarian had been working there for so many years that she had become part of the furniture."

to control and manage an organization, group, business, etc. in a manner that is very strict, efficient, and effective

"The captain runs a tight ship."

"The new manager runs a tight ship and expects all employees to follow the rules strictly."

to have a disagreement with someone or something that provides one's primary source of income or livelihood

"Don't fall out with your bread and butter."

"It's unwise to fall out with your bread and butter, especially when you rely on that client for your livelihood."

a period of time in which someone no longer works due to old age

"Their golden years were peaceful."

"She spent her golden years near her family and garden."

a job that does not provide one with the chance to advance to a better position or job

"He feels stuck in a dead-end job with no future."

"He feels stuck in a dead end job with no future and dreams of starting his own business."

a period of leisure or vacation spent engaging in activities related to one's job or profession

"The pilot spent his busman's holiday at an airshow."

"The pilot spent his busman's holiday at an airshow and watched planes instead of relaxing."

people who are newly employed or admitted in order to provide the group, company, etc. with enthusiasm and new and exciting ideas

"The company needs fresh blood now."

"The team really needs some fresh blood to bring new ideas and energy to the project."

used when one is back to doing one's job and normal activities at work, particularly after a leave or vacation

"He is back in harness after his vacation."

"The old doctor is still in harness at seventy five because he loves his job very much."

a way of referring to the woman who is a leading member or the founder of an organization, movement, etc.

"She is big mama."

"The influential senator was considered the big mama of the entire political party."

to fulfill a person's responsibilities while they are sick or on a leave

"She covered for her friend yesterday."

"I had to cover for my colleague while she was sick and on leave last week."

a project, activity, plan, business, etc. that an individual is involved in

"He has an iron in the fire."

"She always keeps an iron in the fire so she never runs out of new business opportunities."

to assign a task or job to a person

"The farmer put us to work immediately."

"As soon as the new employee arrived the manager put him to work on the urgent report."

to have different roles, positions, or jobs at the same time

"She wears many different hats daily."

"As a small business owner, she wears many different hats, including manager, accountant, marketer, and customer service representative every single day."

to have to put in a lot of effort into one's work to be on the same level as one's predecessor

"You have big shoes to fill."

"The new CEO has big shoes to fill because the previous one was very successful."

to not attend work, school, or other obligations without giving an explanation or getting permission

"The boys played hooky from school."

"The naughty boys decided to play hooky and spend the afternoon at the movies instead of school."

during the hours that one is required to be working

"I get paid to be on the clock."

"I cannot talk for long because I am on the clock and my boss is watching me."

to be given someone's task, role, job, etc., particularly after they have left

"It is hard to step into his shoes."

"After his father retired he stepped into his shoes and took over the family business."

to continue or complete a task or project that someone else began or left unfinished

"She picked up the baton from her predecessor."

"When the manager retired the assistant picked up the baton and continued the important work."

to transfer responsibility or a task from one person to another

"It is time to hand over the baton."

"The old CEO handed over the baton to his son after working for forty years."

to need to deal with something as a part of one's responsibilities or obligations

"She has a problem on her hands."

"The manager has a big problem on her hands because the project deadline is tomorrow."

to assume full control or responsibility of something until the actual person in charge returns, particularly in business

"Please hold the fort while I am gone."

"Please hold the fort while I go to the bank and I will be back soon."

to take on a person's position, role, or responsibility after they are gone

"No one can fill her shoes."

"The new teacher has big shoes to fill because the previous one was very popular."

to take action or assume responsibility in a difficult or challenging situation, often when others are unable or unwilling to do so

"He stepped into the breach when the manager quit."

"When our lead singer got sick the guitarist stepped into the breach and performed wonderfully."

a labor strategy where employees intentionally perform their job duties strictly according to the rules and procedures, without going beyond what is explicitly required, as a means of protest or showing dissatisfaction with work conditions

"The union voted to work to rule."

"The union voted to work to rule and employees followed every safety regulation exactly to slow down production."

(of workers) to refrain from doing any extra work

"The union told them to work to rule."

"The train drivers worked to rule causing massive delays because they followed every safety regulation exactly."

an opportunity for starting a business or entering an organization, etc. in order to achieve a higher level of success later

"This job is a foot in the door."

"Getting an internship at that company is a great foot in the door for a career."

to advise someone to continue with their current job instead of trying a new job that is likely to fail

"Don't give up the day job."

"I think you should not give up the day job because your singing career is not going very well."

to take the blame or punishment for something, even if it is not entirely one's fault, in order to protect someone else or to preserve one's honor

"He fell on his sword for them."

"The manager decided to fall on his sword to protect his team from blame."

to be fired from one's position or job

"She got the sack last week."

"After many mistakes at work, he finally got the boot from his angry boss."

to inform one's employee that they are being dismissed

"They gave him the pink slip."

"The company had to give her the pink slip because of budget cuts."

used to express that people are going to be punished for something, particularly by being fired

"Heads will roll."

"After the massive security breach, the company announced that heads were going to roll."

the different levels of jobs and responsibilities that people can move up in their chosen profession as they gain more experience and skills

"She climbed the career ladder."

"After years of dedication and hard work, he finally climbed the corporate ladder and was promoted to the position of senior vice president."

to dismiss one's employee

"They gave her the sack yesterday."

"The boss decided to give him the boot after he broke the rules."

to be subjected to disapproval, rejection, or criticism from others, often through booing

"The actor got the bird."

"When the performer delivered a terrible speech, the audience immediately started to get the bird and boo loudly."

to dismiss or fire someone from their job or position

"She showed the employee the door."

"When the customer became rude and aggressive the manager showed him the door immediately."

to retire or quit from a profession or activity that involves physical or competitive effort

"The boxer hung up his gloves."

"After winning the championship the old boxer decided to hang up his gloves for good."

to retire from a particular activity or occupation, especially one's profession or career

"He hung up his boots last year."

"After thirty years of hard work, she finally hung up her boots and retired."

to successfully create a secure position for oneself at work, often by excelling in a very specific field related to it

"She carved out a niche for herself."

"The small bakery carved out a niche by selling gluten free bread to health conscious customers."

a notice given to someone, asking them to leave a job or place

"He got his walking papers yesterday."

"The incompetent employee received his walking papers after failing to meet any of his targets."

to retire someone due to their old age

"They put the old horse out to pasture."

"The company put the old salesman out to pasture after his performance declined significantly over the years."

to be waiting for an opportunity to arise in order to take action

"The young actor is waiting in the wings."

"The young actor is waiting in the wings ready to replace the star when he retires."

to be fired or dismissed from a job, usually in an abrupt or disrespectful manner

"He got the bird."

"After years of service, he was unceremoniously given the bird and told to leave."

to dismiss or fire someone from their job or position

"Show him the door."

"The manager had no choice but to show the disruptive employee the door."

to cooperate, work together, or engage in a mutually beneficial interaction or partnership with someone

"We need him to play ball with us."

"If you want to succeed in this company you need to play ball with the management team."

to fulfill one's share of responsibilities

"Everyone should do their bit to help."

"Everyone needs to do their bit for the environment by recycling plastic waste."

surpassing in terms of quality or effectiveness when working as a whole rather than individually

"This team is greater than its parts."

"The project was more than the sum of its parts because everyone worked well together."

to complete one's responsibilities regarding a group task, project, work, etc.

"Everyone must pull their weight here."

"The manager told the team that everyone needs to pull their weight to finish the project on time."

two individuals who managed to plan and get something done together

"She is my partner in crime."

"My best friend is my partner in crime when we plan fun adventures."

together in a tight, often seamless or intimate partnership

"They work hand and glove together."

"The two companies worked hand and glove to develop the new software product quickly."

with one another to achieve an aim

"We are in harness."

"The two collaborating scientists worked in harness to solve the complex equation."

used for saying that everyone's assistance is needed for a situation, particularly a difficult one

"All hands on deck — we need to finish this today!"

"With the deadline moved forward by a week, it was all hands on deck across every department."

a place where many people are very busy

"The office was a hive of activity."

"The morning market is a hive of activity with vendors shouting and customers bargaining loudly."

to have a lot of things that need to be done

"I am run off my feet."

"During the holiday season, the staff were rushed off their feet every day."

to have a certain amount of tasks or problems that need to be dealt with

"I have a lot on my plate right now."

"I cannot take on another project because I already have too much on my plate right now."

to work really hard to achieve an aim

"He worked his guts out for the exam."

"The dedicated student worked her guts out to pass the difficult medical school entrance exam."

extremely busy with work, activities, etc.

"He is as busy as a bee at work."

"The volunteers were as busy as bees throughout the entire charity event, making sure everything ran smoothly for all the guests."

to work exceptionally hard

"She works like a horse."

"My father works like a horse every day to provide for our family and never complains."

to drain oneself by working very late into the night and getting up early in the morning

"Don't burn the candle at both ends."

"She has been burning the candle at both ends and now she feels very tired."

extremely active, busy, and hardworking

"She is as busy as a beaver today."

"Ever since she started her new project at work, she has been as busy as a beaver and barely has time to eat lunch."

to have a lot of work that needs to be dealt with

"She has her hands full today."

"With three young children and a full-time job, she really has her hands full every single day without any help."

in a state that is extremely efficient or active

"Our team is in high gear."

"As the project deadline loomed, the team went into high gear to complete all remaining tasks."

to be so busy that one has no free time

"I do not have a minute to call my own."

"As a single mother of three she does not have a minute to call her own."

in a state of being actively engaged in various activities or constantly in motion, typically indicating a busy and active lifestyle

"She is always on the go."

"The busy businessman is always on the go and never has time to sit down and relax."

to try to handle or manage several difficult tasks or responsibilities at the same time, highlighting a busy and demanding situation

"This project is like juggling frogs."

"I am not familiar with this idiom juggling frogs so I will skip providing an example sentence for it."

to take on more tasks or responsibilities than one can handle effectively, resulting in a lack of focus and decreased productivity

"Do not spread yourself too thin."

"The ambitious student spread himself too thin by joining five different clubs and failing all his classes."

having very little time left

"I am pressed for time today."

"I am really pressed for time this morning so could you please make your question quick?"

used to indicate that a situation is becoming highly intense or critical, often implying increased pressure, urgency, or scrutiny

"The heat is on — the deadline is tomorrow."

"With the regulator's investigation now public, the heat is on and the board is under enormous pressure to respond."

used to refer to the action of rising from the depth of poverty to the highest of riches

"His story is a classic from rags to riches."

"The successful businessman went from rags to riches after inventing a popular new smartphone application."

to have a great deal of money

"The successful businessman is rolling in money."

"The successful businessman is rolling in money but he still refuses to donate any to charity."

possessing an excessive amount of money

"The oil tycoon is filthy rich."

"The old man was filthy rich but he lived in a small house and drove an old car."

in a very comfortable, expensive, and luxurious way

"Since winning the lottery, they have been living high on the hog."

"After winning the lottery they have been living high on the hog staying at luxury hotels everywhere."

to be living a comfortable and luxurious life

"They live in clover now."

"Ever since he got his promotion, he has been living in clover with a big house and a nice car."

in a very comfortable condition due to an abundance of wealth

"They live in the lap of luxury."

"The wealthy family lived in the lap of luxury with a private jet and a yacht."

to have a very luxurious and comfortable lifestyle

"They live large every day."

"Ever since he won the lottery, he has been living large, buying expensive cars and traveling around the world."

used to refer to a financially superior situation than before or when compared to others

"She is much better off now."

"After switching jobs, he is about thirty percent better off than he was last year."

someone who has suddenly gained great wealth or high status and has become arrogant or corrupt

"He became a beggar on horseback."

"The new rich man behaves like a beggar on horseback spending money foolishly and rudely."

to be in a very good position and be living a luxurious life

"She really has it made in the shade."

"After winning the lottery, he has it made in the shade and never has to worry about money again."

a person or thing such as a business with significant financial resources

"The company has deep pockets."

"The company has deep pockets and can afford to fight this lawsuit for as long as necessary."

a set of things that make life comfortable and more enjoyable for one

"The hotel offers many creature comforts."

"The hotel offers many creature comforts including a heated pool and a gourmet restaurant."

to come into possession of a great sum of money in a very sudden or unexpected way

"He struck it rich in the gold rush."

"The old prospector struck it rich when he found gold in the remote mountains of Alaska."

to be enjoying a luxurious and comfortable life

"He lives the life of Riley."

"Since retiring early, she has been living the life of Riley, traveling the world and relaxing."

to earn a large amount of money, usually quickly or easily

"They rake in the money daily."

"The new restaurant is so popular that the owners rake in the money every single weekend."

to pay an unreasonably high price for something

"We paid through the nose."

"We had to pay through the nose for those concert tickets because they were in high demand."

used for saying that a cost is paid by a person themselves instead of an organization or fund

"I paid fifty out of pocket."

"The company refused to reimburse him, so he had to cover the travel expenses out of his own pocket."

(particularly of a joke) in a way that causes harm to someone or makes them embarrassed

"He made a joke at my expense."

"The comedian told jokes about the audience members at their expense which made everyone very uncomfortable."

to accept the financial burden or responsibility for a certain project, service, or event, and pay for it

"The company footed the bill for the trip."

"The generous grandfather offered to foot the bill for the entire family wedding celebration last summer."

used to say that someone has to pay for something

"I am on the hook for the rent."

"The co signer is on the hook for the loan if the borrower fails to make payments."

to pay for one's expenses and not need financial support from others

"She paid her own way."

"He worked part-time during college to pay his way through school and avoid taking out student loans."

the price that is presently usual for a product or service

"The going rate for plumbers is high."

"The going rate for plumbers is high and you should expect to pay at least one hundred dollars per hour."

not needing to pay anything upfront or to make a deposit

"You can buy it with nothing down."

"You can buy the furniture with nothing down and pay in monthly instalments instead."

to pay the expense of something, usually instead of someone else

"Let me pick up the tab for dinner."

"My generous uncle offered to pick up the tab for our entire family dinner."

(of two or more people) to pay one's own share of the costs

"We decided to go Dutch on the date."

"Since we are both students with little money let us go Dutch and split the bill equally."

to pay half of the expenses each

"Let us go halves on dinner."

"Since the gift was expensive, my sister and I decided to go halves so neither of us would overspend."

to purchase an item, typically a product or object, that is defective, unsatisfactory, or of little value or use

"I bought a bad lemon."

"He thought he was getting a great deal on the used car, but it turned out to be a lemon that constantly broke down."

the activity of just looking at the goods in the windows of stores without going inside and buying something

"Window shopping is relaxing."

"We spent the afternoon window shopping along the main street."

to try to sell something when the conditions are not favorable

"Don't sell now, it's a rainy day."

"Trying to sell ice cream in winter is like offering your hen for sale on a rainy day."

used to say who has paid for something

"It is at my expense."

"The extravagant party was thrown at his expense, much to everyone's surprise."

to lessen the amount of money or resources one uses compared to before, particularly due to having less available

"When I lost my job, I had to tighten my belt."

"We will have to tighten our belts this month because our electricity bill was much higher than expected."

to avoid spending more money than what one earns

"We must stretch our legs according to the coverlet."

"With our current budget, we must stretch our legs according to the coverlet to avoid debt."

The origin of this idiom is not clear, but it likely developed from the idea of being cautious and not overreaching or attempting more than one can handle.

"Stretch your arm no further than your sleeve will reach."

"He learned to stretch his arm no further than his sleeve will reach to avoid overcommitting himself."

to continue to waste a lot of money on something that is not worth it

"He threw good money after bad."

"She kept throwing good money after bad, investing more in a failing business that never made any profit."

to possess a significant amount of wealth but lack good judgment or wisdom in managing it

"He has more money than sense."

"She has more money than sense, spending thousands on things she never uses or needs."

to spend in a way that exceeds one's income

"He lives beyond his means."

"She lives beyond her means and spends more money than she earns every single month."

to spend no more money than one has

"It is important to live within your means."

"After struggling with debt we learned to live within our means and save money."

to have a strong desire to spend money quickly or impulsively, often resulting in reckless spending habits

"The money is burning a hole in my pocket."

"The birthday money was burning a hole in his pocket so he went straight to the toy store."

to wastefully and recklessly spend money

"He threw money out the window."

"They threw money out the window on a vacation that was far too expensive."

to carelessly spend a great sum of money

"He spends money like water."

"She spends money like water, buying new clothes every single week."

to use or handle something in a wasteful and careless manner

"He plays ducks and drakes with money."

"She plays ducks and drakes with her inheritance, wasting it all on silly things."

money that is put aside as savings for the future or special occasions

"They built a nice nest egg for retirement."

"They built a nice nest egg for retirement and can now afford to travel the world."

to live in a way that does not exceed one's financial limitations

"We must cut our coat according to our cloth."

"You need to cut your coat according to your cloth and not spend more than you earn."

to have more money than one needs and waste it on unnecessary things

"She has money to burn."

"The tech millionaire has money to burn and buys whatever he wants without looking at prices."

used to refer to something on which one keeps spending more and more money

"The old house became a money pit."

"The old house became a money pit and every repair revealed another expensive problem."

to try to spend as little money as possible

"They scrimped and saved for a down payment."

"The young couple scrimped and saved for five years to afford a down payment on a small house."

a project, activity, business, etc. that uses a lot of money or resources without providing any results or profit

"It is a black hole."

"The failed research project became a financial black hole for the company."

someone that spends money in an extravagant way

"He is a high roller."

"The casino caters to the high roller, offering them exclusive suites and services."