Idiom of the Week

Archive - March 2006

Week of March 27, 2006

He was definitely in cattle country, and by going with the flow he tasted the best of what the Western chefs dished up.

From Take the Bull by the Horns, p. 35

Go with the flow – v. to go along with what is popular; offer no resistance.

· “When our competitors offered customers free lottery tickets for purchases over $50, we had no choice but to go with the flow and also give out tickets.”

Week of March 20, 2006

His impatient engineering team had initiated a lengthy discussion, during which they asked him to step up to the plate and make key design changes in the project that he was leading.

From Touch All the Bases p. 1

Step up to the plate – v. In baseball, to aggressively stand at home plate and prepare to hit the pitched ball. In life or business, to face a challenging situation.

• “He stepped up to the plate and volunteered for the difficult, overseas assignment.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week of March 13, 2006

Jey listened to Dave’s story, wished him well, and then set down the phone. He realized he had no one in the bull pen to step in and relieve him of the extra work that loomed over him like a Midwest thundercloud.

From Touch All the Bases p. 11

Have no one in the bullpen – v.

To be without help; in baseball, relief pitchers come in from the bullpen when the starting pitcher is in trouble. Based on the resemblance between the cages where relief pitchers warm up and the enclosures where bulls are kept before being sent charging into the bull ring.

• “We have no one in the bullpen to handle new cases; all our attorneys are busy.”

Week of March 6, 2006

John’s challenge to Mike opened the floodgates, and others in the class took potshots at Mike’s underlying assumptions and exaggerated success stories.

From Take the Bull by the Horns, p. 46

Open the floodgates– v. unblock whatever resists change or progress

• “Our biotechnology breakthrough opened the floodgates to a whole new industry.”

Take potshots – v. a shot at an animal or person within easy range, as from ambush; thus an easy criticism to make.  So called because such a shot is fired by a hunter whose main purpose is to get food for the pot.

• “We better have accurate dollar amounts to prevent the finance department from taking potshots at our budget request.”