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American English Idioms Used at Work or in the Office
American English Idioms Used at Work or in the Office -‐ Page
http://authenticjourneys.info ©2015 Do not reprint without permission.
1
All over the place – Disorganized
Ballpark estimate – a general estimate, approximate
Cover your bases – make sure you did everything you are supposed to do
Crunch time – the last few minutes, hours or days before delivering the final product
Curveball – a tricky situation, a tough problem
Dive in headfirst – do something without thinking or planning
Down to the wire – to the last moment
End of the rope – frustrated, can’t take anymore
Get the ball rolling – get started with something, gain momentum
Get your head in the game – concentrate on what needs to be done
Go the extra mile – do something unexpected or more than needed to get the job done
Hit a home run – did an outstanding job or went above expectations
Hit it out of the park – did an outstanding job or went above expectations
In the swing of things – feeling comfortable with something
It’s a whole new ball game – it’s a new situation, approach, or set of rules
Jump off the deep end – Something drastic
Jump the gun – start before you should, do something too quickly
Keep your eye on the ball-‐ keep focused
Level playing field – things are equal for everyone
Learn the ropes – learn something new, get used to a new process
Let’s Play ball – to start the meeting, event at hand (it’s said at the beginning of something)
American English Idioms Used at Work or in the Office
American English Idioms Used at Work or in the Office -‐ Page
http://authenticjourneys.info ©2015 Do not reprint without permission.
2
Make a pitch – to share new ideas with someone else, to sell something
Nutshell -‐ Summary
On the ball – on top of things, being sharp and attentive, good at the job
Out of left field – came by surprise
Pat on the back – Give positive feedback, Compliment
Pile up – Unfinished work is accumulating and it’s a problem
Play catch up – We are behind, and have to get on schedule.
Play by the book – go by the rules
Play your position – don’t worry about what other people are doing, make sure you do your own work
Put a spin on – to add something new or different
Rings a bell – helps me to remember
Start off on the right foot – Start the project or task with a good approach or feeling
Step up to the plate – ready to do the job
Struck out – did not do a good job
That’s a piece of cake – easy to do
Think outside the box – do something different or unexpected that is creative and useful
Touch base – keep in touch, a quick meeting or talk
Three strikes and you’re out – you get only three times to be successful
You’re “up” – it’s your turn to talk, present, etc.