Lesson 39: Business Idioms – Part 4

Welcome to our final business idioms lesson! Let’s see if you can guess what
these expressions mean from the context. Choose the option that you think is
the best definition for the idiom, and then keep reading to find out if you were
correct.

Idiom #1 – call it a day

I'm glad we've been able to finalize the packaging. Let's call it a day, and we'll
discuss pricing tomorrow.

a. telephone some co-workers

b. decide to end the day’s work
c. choose a name for something

Idiom #2 – down the drain

The social media campaign had no impact whatsoever. It was two months of
effort down the drain.

a. in the past
b. very stressful
c. wasted or lost

Idiom #3 – test the waters

We should release a small product to test the waters before developing an
entire line.

a. get people excited

b. make some money
c. try something to see if it will succeed

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Idiom #4 – by the book
There's not much room for creativity in my work because the manager likes
everything to be done by the book.

a. following the rules exactly

b. in written format
c. with a lot of research

Idiom #5 – that’ll never fly

You're suggesting that we cancel the conference? That'll never fly - it's the
CEO's favorite event of the year.

a. it won’t be simple
b. it won’t be profitable
c. it won’t work / be accepted

Idiom #6 – smooth sailing

The price was the biggest obstacle to the sale - once we offered a discount, the
rest of the negotiation was smooth sailing.

a. a team effort
b. easy and quick progress
c. something creative

Idiom #7 – on the same page

We're promoting four different products at the same time. It doesn't seem like
everyone on the marketing team is on the same page.

a. talking to each other

b. thinking in a similar way
c. visiting the same websites

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Idiom #8 – a long shot
I'm applying for a director-level position, but it's a long shot since I don't
have as much experience as they want.

a. a long time in the future

b. hard to understand
c. unlikely to succeed

Idiom #9 – not set in stone

The proposed dates for the summer sale are June 20-30, but it's not set in
stone.

a. not a good idea

b. not confirmed/definite
c. not sure to succeed

Idiom #10 – rock the boat

All my co-workers get along so well; I don't want to rock the boat by making
a complaint.

a. cause trouble
b. call attention to myself
c. offend someone

Idiom #11 – slack off

Everyone else on my team has been slacking off, so that means more work for
me.

a. away from the office

b. being lazy
c. delaying projects

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Idiom #12 – not do justice to
These photos are too dark and out of focus. They don't do justice to the
quality of the product.

a. slightly decrease
b. don’t like
c. don’t represent fairly

Answers and Explanation

#1 - call it a day

b) decide to end the day's work

"Let's call it a day" is an informal way to say "let's finish today's work." It is
often used when there will be more work to continue tomorrow, but you are
deciding to stop today.

#2 - down the drain

c) wasted or lost

A drain is a hole where water from your sink or shower goes away and out of
your house. If you accidentally drop a small object (like a ring) down the
drain, it will be lost. So if money, time, or resources go "down the drain," it
means they are wasted and do not produce any effect.

#3 - test the waters

c) try something to see if it will succeed

This expression is often used for a small experiment to see if it's a good idea to
go ahead with a larger project in the same area.

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#4 - by the book

a) following the rules exactly

A person who does things "by the book" is someone who follows the rules
exactly, and does not permit/accept anything that is slightly different or
against the rules.

#5 - that'll never fly

c) it won't work / be accepted

Saying something "will never fly" means you are certain that it won't work or
won't be accepted/approved by someone else.

#6 - smooth sailing

b) easy and quick progress

If you're on a sailboat and the ocean water is calm and smooth, you will have
an easy and pleasant journey - so the expression "smooth sailing" refers to any
project or process that runs easily and well.

#7 - on the same page

b) thinking in a similar way

If everyone reading a book is reading the same page, then they will all be
focused on the same topic, with the same understanding. "On the same page"
is used in general for people thinking along similar lines or with similar ideas.

#8 - a long shot

c) unlikely to succeed

If something is "a long shot," it's possible that it will succeed, but the chance is
very low.

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#9 - not set in stone

b) not confirmed/definite

If you carve some letters into a stone, it is a very permanent record - different
from something like pencil on paper, which can be easily erased and changed.
If something is NOT set in stone, it means it is not definite (it could be
changed).

#10 - rock the boat

a) cause trouble

If you're in a small boat and you start "rocking" it (moving your weight from
side to side), the boat will become unstable. The expression "rock the boat"
means to create problems or trouble in what was previously a calm situation.

#11 - slacking off

b) being lazy

Someone who is "slacking off" is not fulfilling their responsibilities; they are
being lazy and not doing what they are supposed to do.

#12 - not do justice to

c) don't represent fairly

If something - usually a picture or words - doesn't do justice to something else,

it means it doesn't represent it accurately. This is usually used when the real
thing is much better than the description or picture would imply.

You’ve finished lesson 39! Now take the quiz to put these expressions into
practice.

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© Shayna Oliveira 2017
Quiz: Lesson 39
Complete each sentence with the best idiom:

a long shot down the drain rock the boat

by the book it won't fly slacking off
call it a day not set in stone smooth sailing
do justice to it on the same page test the waters

1. Before opening a restaurant, we should try doing a food truck to

__________________________ and see if we get customers.

2. Getting 500 new customers in a week is __________________________. I think

we'll get 100 at most.

3. He paid for a gym membership that he never even used, so his money

just went __________________________.

4. Hey, Gary! Stop __________________________ - put away your cell phone and

help me carry these boxes.

5. I know I can trust my realtor because she does things

__________________________.

6. If the whole family wants to vacation in Italy this year, I'm not going to

__________________________ by disagreeing.

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7. I'm determined to get these letters done - I'm not going to

__________________________ until I finish them all.

8. Some students have missed class lately, so the teacher will do a review

session to make sure everyone is __________________________.

9. The recording of the concert doesn't __________________________. You had to

be there to experience it person.

10. This is the proposed design for the house, but it's

__________________________.

11. We didn't hit any traffic on the drive, so the trip was

__________________________.

12. I'm going to ask if I can work from home, but I have a feeling

__________________________ because my boss likes to see us in the office.

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Quiz Answers: Lesson 39

1. test the waters

2. a long shot
3. down the drain
4. slacking off
5. by the book
6. rock the boat
7. call it a day
8. on the same page
9. do justice to it
10. not set in stone
11. smooth sailing
12. it won't fly

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© Shayna Oliveira 2017