Vocabulary - Next Level English - Business idioms

Be in the same boat

Have the same dangers to face

Start from scratch

Start without being allowed any advantages

In connection with

With reference to

Be on the ball

Be alert/competent in what one is doing

Out of the question

Impossible, not to be discussed at all

At first sight

When first seen, without study or examination

On the dot

At the precise moment

Be at cross purposes

misunderstanding one another, having different and conflicting purposes

In other words

With different words

In the pipeline

On the way; about to be delivered or to receive attention

At/below/above par

At/below/above the original price or value

In the long run

Ultimately

Be/go/get out of one’s depth

Be in water too deep to stand in; attempt the study of sth that is too difficult

Off the record

Not for publication or recording

For a change

For the sake of variety; to be different from one’s routine

Be/fall wide of the mark

Be innacurate, imprecise

Putting something in a nutshell

In the fewest possible words; in the smallest possible space

Keeping someone in the dark

Keep somebody in ignorance

At the deep end; go in/off the deep end

Taking risks; express strong feelings without controlling it

Be/hang in the balance

Be uncertain

Across the board

Including all groups, members, etc. esp. in an occupation or industry

Out of the blue

Unexpectedly

At a guess

Making a guess

In touch/ out of touch

In/not in regular communication with

Be at odds with someone over something

Be quarrelling or disagreeing with someone on a question

Be/ get in a rut

A fixed (and boring) way of living so that it becomes difficult to change

To the letter

Paying strict attention to every detail

On equal terms

As equals

Keep something under wraps

Conceal it

Be skating on thin ice

Be in a dangerous or delicate situation

Be caught on the wrong foot

Be caught when one is not ready

On the whole

Taking everything into consideration

For the time being

Until some other arrangement is made