Do you know what does it mean when someone says “back to square one”? How about
“cut-throat”? Learn 7 useful idioms that you can use in the workplace to communicate with your colleagues or business partners! 

 

Back to square one  

Previous plan or tactic does not work, and the whole project/work needs to start all over again from zero. (Like the board game “flying chess” when you roll six 3 times.)

  • If plan B doesn’t work, we are back to square one.  

 

By the book  

To act exactly as the rules tell you, strictly following instructions step by step. 

  • In our company, it’s better to do things by the book.  

 

Corner the market  

This refers to the phenomenon where a certain type of product sold by a company significantly surpasses the sales of other similar products in the market. 

  • We must increase our sales by 20% to corner the market. 

 

Go the extra mile  

It means to take more effort than expected of you to succeed.  

  • To provide the best service to our customers, we must go the extra mile.  

 

Cut-throat  

When companies or workers are in a fierce competition, and they are willing to do anything to achieve victory, even if it means harming each other.  

  • Companies in the fashion industry often use cut throat strategies, they would even go as far as burning their cash pile just to attract customers.  

 

Up in the air  

When something is up in the air, it has not been decided or confirmed.  

  • Our product development plan is still up in the air.  

 

Think outside the box  

Not to think in a traditional and old-fashioned way. To think imaginatively by using new ideas.  

  • Facing the cut-throat competition, we must think outside the box for a innovative idea of launching the new product.