Business Idioms in Use - Part 02

source: Learn English with Let's Talk     2013年9月20日
Business Vocabulary Lesson - Business idioms in use - Part 02

The lion's share
Meaning: You can say something is the lion's share if it's the biggest share or portion of something.
For example:
The lion's share of the government's budget goes to the military, when it could be spent on useful things like education, health care and looking after the environment.
The company executives decided to give the lion's share of the company's profits to themselves, in the form of very high salaries, huge bonuses and very generous expense accounts. Not much was left over for staff wages and the shareholders.

A pipe dream
Meaning: A pipe dream is a plan or a dream for the future that could never come true or be achieved.
For example:
The idea of a perfect world in which everyone lives in peace and harmony is just a pipe dream.
Pipe dreams only ever come true in the movies.

Play hardball (with someone)
Meaning: to act strong and aggressive about an issue with someone.
For example:
Things are getting a little tough. The Boss has decided to play hardball on this issue.
If he wants to play hardball with us, we can play that way, too.

Power Lunch
A lunch during which business people discuss important plans, ideas, or decisions.
For example:
The City is still full of people out on power lunches despite the freeze on expense accounts.

Push the envelope
Meaning: To expand the definition, categorization, dimensions, or perimeters of something.
For example:
The engineers wanted to completely redesign the product, but couldn't push the envelope because of a very restricted budget.