Business Idioms

go haywire

Suddenly the printer went haywire. I only

wanted three copies but it started turning out

hundreds of them, and I didn't know how to

stop it.

the tip of the iceberg

Many companies have created web sites to promote

their products but promotion is only the

tip of the iceberg. The web is about customer

service, selling products directly, establishing

a dialogue with consumers, and expanding

the geographic base of a business.

have sth on one's mind

- Jim, could I have a word with you in private?

- Of course, what's on your mind?

be a tough nut to crack

Technically it was a very tough nut to crack,

but with hard work and persistence we managed

in the end.

woods. Sales of mainframes depend upon

the business cycle in the economically developed

world, and economic growth is slowing.

get one's foot in the door

Suppliers can easily become subcontractors,

and vice versa. What makes both relationships

so valuable is that they allow you to get

your foot in the door with not only that corporation

but also other large companies it

does business with.

change hands

Its stock is nearly always on the NYSE most active

list — in fact, only Telefonos de Mexico,

Ford, and Compaq have had more shares

change hands

this year than Micron.

wheel and deal trapichear

After Renault's deal with Nissan, who will be

next? There are increasing signs that the

wheeling and dealing in Japan's automotive

industry has only just begun.

drive a hard bargain

The truth is that we need their business a

great deal more than they need ours. In other

words, we can expect them to drive a very

hard bargain indeed.

pay through the nose

Watch your costs. If you are selling a fragile

vase by mail, you may have to pay through

the nose to see that it arrives intact. Forget

such additional costs and you can end up losing

money on a hot product.

1 Steady and calm, with no sudden

changes: La economia se ha estabilizado.

2 To obey orders, to conform to a policy:

Lo estan obligando a seguir la Ifnea del

partido.

3 Moderate, unlikely to cause offence: He's

a dull sort of fellow with views on

practically everything.

4 (repeated or continuous actions) For

many consecutive days, one day after

another: Escucho las mismas quejas todo

el santo dia.

5 To do what one is expected to do but

without enthusiasm or care: Lo

entrevistaron por pura formalidad.

6 (used to indicate that problems can be

dealt with easily/ No worse than usual:

This kind of pressure may seem excessive

to someone who's not used to it, but

to us it's .

7 To be as expected, to be typical: Estar

de mal humor es su estado natural.

8 (usually expressing disapproval] In accordance

with a person's usual behaviour:

Como era de esperar, Ileg6 tarde.

9 According to what really happens: En

teoria tendriamos que contestar a todas

las cartas, pero en la practica es imposible.

10 To deal with a problem calmly, without

needing to make a special effort: Se lo

toma todo con calma.

11 In a dull, unexciting way of life that is

difficult to change: Tienes que salir de

esa rutina sofocante.

12 To do something automatically, without

having to be asked: Tenemos por norma

conservar una copia.

13 (saying) Only by repeatedly practising an

action or activity can you learn to perform

it perfectly: La practica hace al maestro.