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Let’s take a look at some of the most leading business idioms starting with L.
Don’t forget to click on the links at the bottom for the rest.
meaning – useless, ineffective
example – All my boyfriends turn out to be lame ducks.
meaning – be lucky/successful especially in difficult times
example – After being rejected numerous times, Ollie has landed on his feet and works for Microsoft.
meaning – the final annoyance that makes someone lose their temper
example – I found my husband on a dating site. That was the last straw, we’re over.
meaning – the final attempt to defeat your opponent or avoid a crisis
example – The government made a last-ditch attempt to gain supporters before the vote.
meaning – make lots of money (usually from an idea people thought was foolish)
example – I put a bet on a 100/1 horse, and he won! I’m laughing all the way to the bank.
meaning – the current situation
example – I’m going to figure out the lay of the land before I decide to invest.
meaning – learn the basic principles of a particular job/task/activity
example – I’ve been learning the ropes from my dad, he’s a good teacher.
meaning – the process of progressing, gaining experience and learning from mistakes
example – Don’t be too hard on the apprentice, she’s at the beginning of a big learning curve.
meaning – try every way possible to achieve something
example – We’ll leave no stone unturned in the hunt for the missing teenager.
meaning – the possibility of something happening in the future
example – I don’t want to do the course yet; can you leave the door open for me?
meaning – long boring tasks that have to be done as part of a job
example – Mia has done all the legwork. She’s gathered 2000 reports and put them on a spreadsheet.
meaning – disappoint your friends/family/colleagues
example – I want you all playing your best. If you let the side down, you’re out of the team.
meaning – equal/fair conditions for everyone involved
example – The favourites have had two players sent off, it’s now a level playing field.
meaning – something with high profits and little effort
example – Renting the 6 flats I own is a license to print money.
meaning – the type of work a person does to earn money
example – My line of work is very dangerous, but the pay is great.
meaning – the majority
example – Jay gave the lion’s share of his lottery win to charity.
meaning – a guess/bet/suggestion with little chance of success
example – I’ve put £10 on Tottenham to win the league. It’s a long shot, but they’re my team.
meaning – evade a law/rule/contract etc.
example – I’m looking for a loophole in the tax law, I pay way too much.
meaning – fall behind, fail to keep one’s position
example – The Lib Dems have lost ground, it’ll be interesting to see the results of the next election.
meaning – an unfair attack
example – Don’t humiliate him in front of his new girlfriend, it’s a low blow.
Did you enjoy learning common business idioms? I thought so! Click the links below to learn some more.