20 Useful Business Idioms and Phrases with Meaning & Examples

There are many idioms used in the business world. If you don’t understand these expressions, it’s easy to get lost in a conversation. Learn 20 Business Idioms and Phrases that are commonly used in English.

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Common Business Idioms and Phrases

Business Idioms List

Here is the list of commonly used business idioms and phrases in English:

Get one’s foot in the door
On a shoestring
Jump through hoops
Eager beaver
Hold the Fort
Golden handshake
Walking papers
Cash cow
Bet your bottom dollar
Get the ball rolling
Low hanging fruit
Get the bugs out
Think outside the box
Hit the ground running
All hands on deck
Touch base
In the black
On the ball
Shooting the breeze
Know the ropes

Idioms about Business with Meaning & Examples

Here is the list of business idioms and phrases with their meaning and examples in English:

1. Get one’s foot in the door

Meaning: To get an opening or promising opportunity; to start working at a low level, hoping to progress
Example: An internship might not sound very interesting, but it’s a great way to get your foot in the door at this company.

2. On a shoestring

Meaning: With very little money; on a very tight budget
Example: We lived on a shoestring for years before I got a good-paying job. John traveled to Florida on a shoestring.

3. Jump through hoops

Meaning: To do a lot of difficult things before you are allowed to have or do something you want
Example: The boss expects the entire staff to jump through hoops for him.

4. Eager beaver

Meaning: An enthusiastic person who works very hard
Example: Give that big project to the new girl, she’s a real eager beaver.

5. Hold the Fort

Meaning: To have the responsibility for something or care of somebody while other people are away or out
Example: You should open the store at eight o’clock and hold the fort until I get there at ten.

6. Golden handshake

Meaning: A large sum of money that is given to somebody when they leave their job, or to persuade them to leave their job
Example: The company’s vice president received a $700,000 golden handshake after being pressured to leave his position.

7. Walking papers

Meaning: The letter or notice dismissing somebody from a job
Example: The boss gave Jame his walking papers for arriving to work late yet again.

8. Cash cow

Meaning: The part of a business that always makes a profit and that provides money for the rest of the business
Example: When Danniel purchased stock in that software company 10 years ago, he never expected it to become such a cash cow.

9. Bet your bottom dollar

Meaning: Bet all one has on something
Example: I would bet my bottom dollar that the accounting manager will be late again today.

10. Get the ball rolling

Meaning: Let’s start
Example: I got the ball rolling, but no one helped me with the project.

11. Low hanging fruit

Meaning: It’s easy to do
Example: People who always want to be the first to buy something, they’re low-hanging fruit for this product.

12. Get the bugs out

Meaning: Find the mistakes or prevent problems
Example: I got the bug out of my system and came back and worked hard to build my career..

13. Think outside the box

Meaning: Think of creative, unconventional solutions instead of common ones
Example: OK, team, we really need to think outside the box if we’re going to impress the CEO!

14. Hit the ground running

Meaning: We need to start the project well
Example: We need to hit the ground running with this project.

15. All hands on deck

Meaning: Everyone is working extra hard to finish this
Example: All hands on deck! We’ve got to roll out this tarp before the rain starts. Now let’s go!

16. Touch base