Idiom of the Week

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Week of October 29, 2007

The business plan provided to the Bank Manager did not cut the mustard and the loan was not approved. 

To cut the mustard- v.  To achieve the required standard, to come up to expectations.

• Sara’s presentation really cut the mustard; she won over all of the members of the committee. 

Week of October 22, 2007

I was so excited that I couldn’t wait to spill the beans about my husband’s new job.

Spill the beans- v.  To let out a secret or divulge information, either by accident or with intent.

• During the company staff meeting one of my colleagues spilled the beans about our proposed merger with a rival company.

Week of October 15, 2007

The car that Linda bought turned out to be a lemon.

Lemon- v/n/adj.  To be utterly useless.

• Most of the employees felt that the new software package was a real lemon.

Week of October 8, 2007

Sara’s manager told her that her request for a larger office with a city view was pie in the sky.

Pie in the sky- n. A plan which is impractical or unlikely to succeed.  A promise or expectation which is unlikely to materialize.  The prospect of future happiness which is unlikely to be realized.

• John’s scheme to lower business expenditure is pie in the sky.

Week of October 1, 2007

“When John entered the still-empty conference room the following morning, he had his pick of seats around the polished, oval table”.

--From Take the Bull By the Horns, by Jolinda Osborne

Have one’s pick - v. to be in a position to choose.

• Our hiring manager had her pick of over 20 applicants for the one job that our agency was hiring for.

Week of September 24, 2007

“Sammy and his teammates joked about how they would squash opponents like bugs and catch balls on the fly.”

--From Touch All the Bases by Jolinda Osborne

On the fly – adv. catching the ball in a flight; in a hurry, or on the run.

• I’ve got so much work to do that I’ll have to eat lunch on the fly.