Business idioms or Business Jargon is a critical component of workplace communications in the US. If you an English learner or an International student just starting work in the US, you will probably be confused on many of these expressions. 17 Business English idioms, expressions and phrases that anyone in business should know. Without even getting too technical we could mention financial vocabulary such as: bonds, bankruptcy, broker, commodity, depreciation, dividend, gross domestic product (GDP), margin call, to short sell, to wager and so on. All rather habitual terms in the business world, but seldom used outside it.

1. a foot in the door
to manage to enter an organization, a field of business, etc. that could bring you success

• I always wanted to work for that company but it took me two years to get a foot in the door.

[Tweet “A FOOT IN THE DOOR: to manage to enter an organization, a field of business, etc. that could bring you success”]

2. cash cow
the part of a business that always makes a profit and that provides money for the rest of the business

• The new product became the company’s cash cow.

Business Idioms Worksheet

[Tweet “CASH COW: the part of a business that always makes a profit and that provides money for the rest of the business”]

Business English Idioms Pdf

3. too many chiefs, not enough Indians
used to describe a situation in which there are too many people telling other people what to do, and not enough people to do the work

• There are too many chiefs and not enough Indians in that company.

[Tweet “TOO MANY CHIEFS, NOT ENOUGH INDIANS: used to describe a situation in which there are too many people telling other people what to do, and not enough people to do the work”]

4. eager beaver
an enthusiastic person who works very hard

• George is an eager beaver and is certain to succeed in business.

[Tweet “EAGER BEAVER: an enthusiastic person who works very hard”]

5. a slice of the pie
a share of something such as money, profits, etc.

• The company made big profits and the workers want a slice of the pie.

[Tweet “A SLICE OF THE PIE: a share of something such as money, profits, etc.”]

6. go belly up
to fail completely

• Last year the business went belly up after sales continued to fall.

[Tweet “GO BELLY UP: to fail completely”]

7. golden handshake
a large sum of money that is given to somebody when they leave their job, or to persuade them to leave their job

• When Tom left the company he was given a golden handshake.

[Tweet “GOLDEN HANDSHAKE: a large sum of money that is given to somebody when they leave their job, or to persuade them to leave their job”]

8. grease someone’s palm
to give somebody money in order to persuade them to do something dishonest

• There are rumours that the company had to grease someone’s palms to get that contract.

[Tweet “GREASE SOMEONE’S PALM: to give somebody money in order to persuade them to do something dishonest”]

9. hold the fort
to have the responsibility for something or care of somebody while other people are away or out

• While the boss is out of the office, I’ll have to hold the fort.

[Tweet “HOLD THE FORT: to have the responsibility for something or care of somebody while other people are away or out”]

10. keep head above water
to deal with a difficult situation, especially one in which you have financial problems, and just manage to survive

• Business is bad. I’m not sure how much longer we’ll be able to keep our heads above water.

Business Idioms Pdf

[Tweet “KEEP HEAD ABOVE WATER: to deal with a difficult situation, especially one in which you have financial problems, and just manage to survive”]

Read more:
What Happens if You Don’t Drink Enough Water Daily? [Video]

11. red tape
official rules that seem more complicated than necessary and prevent things from being done quickly

• You have to go through endless red tape to start up a business.

[Tweet “RED TAPE: official rules that seem more complicated than necessary and prevent things from being done quickly”]

12. sell ice to Eskimos
to persuade people to go against their best interests or to accept something unnecessary or preposterous.

• That salesman is such a smooth talker, he could sell ice to Eskimos.

[Tweet “SELL ICE TO ESKIMOS: to persuade people to go against their best interests or to accept something unnecessary or preposterous.”]

13. sleeping partner
a person who has put money into a business company but who is not actually involved in running it

• Tom found a sleeping partner to invest money in his business.

[Tweet “SLEEPING PARTNER: a person who has put money into a business company but who is not actually involved in running it”]

14. walking papers
the letter or notice dismissing somebody from a job

Business Idioms In English

• Helen was given her walking papers yesterday.

[Tweet “WALKING PAPERS: the letter or notice dismissing somebody from a job”]

15. a dead duck
a plan, an event, etc. that has failed or is certain to fail and that is therefore not worth discussing

• The project was a dead duck from the start due to a lack of funding.

[Tweet “A DEAD DUCK: a plan, an event, etc. that has failed or is certain to fail and that is therefore not worth discussing”]