Business English idioms connected to clothes
British English has a great many idioms/expressions that you will commonly hear in the British workplace. This blog looks at 8 idioms connected to clothes that are very popular along with examples.
1) At the drop of a hat.
Meaning: This idiom in English means to do something immediately, without notice or prior planning, or in a way that shows that you have no doubts about doing it.
Example: “Our boss will stop working and help someone at the drop of a hat”
2) Have a card up one’s sleeve
Meaning: A popular idiom in English, it means to have a hidden or secret plan or strategy that will be used to advantage at a later time.
Example: “If the company ever tries to fire her, she has a card up her sleeve. She knows about the boss’s dishonest business practices”.
3) To tighten your belt
Meaning: If you have to tighten your belt, it means you have to spend less money and manage without things because you have less money than you used to have.
Example: “We’re going through a very difficult financial period so we’re going to have tighten our belts for a while”.
4) To be in someone’s shoes
Meaning: This idiom means to imagine how you would react if you were in a similar situation.
Example: “Tom’s sales have dropped by 30% this month. I wouldn’t like to be in his shoes!”
5) To roll up one’s sleeves
Meaning: This is another favorite idiom in English, which means to get ready to do hard or difficult work. Example: “Guys, we have to roll up our sleeves if we’re going to finish this project by the deadline”.
6) Put on one’s thinking cap
Meaning: If you put on your thinking cap, it means you are going to think very seriously about something
Example: “Now we’ve lost the government contract, we really need to put on our thinking caps to find ways of recovering the lost income”
7) Hot under the collar
Meaning: This idiom means to be very angry and upset about something
Example: “The boss was very hot under the collar when the Head of Marketing unexpectedly resigned”
8) All mouth and no trousers
Meaning: When somebody is all mouth and no trousers, it really means that they like to talk a lot, but in the end, they actually don’t achieve or do anything.
Example: “He’s always talking about the great sales contacts he has in Italy but we’ve never seen any sales from there, I think he’s all mouth and no trousers!”
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