American Idioms 2

Butter someone up討好; 奉承
Definition / Meaning:
Flatter someone to achieve something desired.

Say nice things to someone to get something from them.
Examples:
Tim tried to butter his boss up before he asked for a raise.

OK, what do you want? I know you are buttering me up for something.

If you want a rise, you should butter up you boss.

Tim always butters his boss up before he asks for more money.

Tim buttered his father up before he asked for the car.

Catch On很快流行; 理解; 明白Definition / Meaning of the idiom:
Understand something new
Become popular
Examples of the idiom:
Let's put him in charge of the new technology because he catches on quickly.

They promoted David because he caught on quickly.

Skateboarding caught on quickly.
Idioms with the word "catch"
Catch one's breath = To rest as to be able to continue an activity.

Catch you later = good-bye.

Catch someone's eye = To be attractive or different enough to be noticed by people. To
attract someone's attention.


Cut Corners貪方便, 以簡便方法做事
Definition / Meaning of Cut Corners:Save money or time by substituting materials or people.
Do something in the easiest, quickest, or cheapest way, often harming the quality of the work.
Examples of Cut Corners:The company cut corners on the new product by using less expensive materials in the design.

The manager has to find a way to cut corners on this project because he has gone over the
budget.

We've had to cut corners to make a cake on such a small budget.

Companies are having to cut corners in order to remain competitive in the market.




Dialed in清楚知道情況,需要; 暸如指掌
Definition / Meaning of this idiom:
Know about the situation
Examples of this idiom:
Tom was impressed with Peter's understanding of the client's needs. Peter was really dialed in.

Tom needs Peter on his team because nobody is more dialed in.


Do an end run直接向管理階層報告,避開上司直接處理
Definition / Meaning of this idiom:The term 'end run' comes originates from American football. It refers to a play when the team player carrying the ball tries to run around the offensive end.

Go around someone to accomplish something
Go around an immediate supervisor
Examples of this idiom:I don't like Tim. He did an end run and went straight to the boss.

If they do an end run, Peter will lose this account.

The students did an end run and went directly to the principal rather than to their class-teacher.

The reporters asked the Tim tons of questions about his private life, but he did an end run around them and just talked about the tax cut.


 Down to the wire最後限期之前
Definition / Meaning of the idiom:In track and field, the phrase refers to the wire used to mark the end of a race.

Close to the deadline.
Examples of the idiom:Tim and Peter have to work overtime because they're down to the wire on this project.

Tim doesn't plan his work well, so he always has to work down to the wire.

I'll have to stay late tonight to get this finished. I'm down to the wire on the proposal.

Draw the line劃出界線;豎立限度.
Definition / Meaning of this idiom:Establish limits.
Separate one thing from another.
Treat one thing as different from another.
Refuse to go any further than.
Examples of this idiom:We have to draw the with Tim. He is demanding to much. Tell him we won't make any more specification changes.

It all depends on his concept of opinion and where you draw the line between fact and
opinion.

Peter drew the limit with his son and told him if he got another ticket, he couldn't continue
driving.

David draws the line at giving Tim more money.

It is not clear where Tim draws the line between fact and opinion.

When it comes to drugs, David draws the line.


Drop the ball放棄
Definition / Meaning of this idiom:
Fail to finish

Make a mistake in a stupid or careless way.

Fail to keep working to reach a goal.

Fail to follow through on a task
Examples of this idiom:
I gave Tim the project, but he dropped the ball, so I have to assign someone else to finish it.

Please, don't drop the ball, we all are relying on you.

Tim dropped the ball on this project, he lost the customer.

Dry Run乾走(字面上的意思);
排練,試演;練習
Definition / Meaning of the idiom:
A practice session

An informal rehearsal of a planned action or activity
Examples of the idiom:
We need a dry run with this prototype before we can go into manufacturing.

Let's do a dry run to make sure it's quality.

I need a dry run with this presentation before I give it to the conference.

Was Country A raid a dry run for attack on its neighbours?


Eyeball it估計,看下
Definition / Meaning of this idiom:
Look at this
Check this out
Peep this
Estimate
Guess
Examples of this idiom:
Eyeball this, guys! My lips are purple.

I'll have to eyeball it, I don't have a measuring tape.

I want to buy her a dress, but I don't have her measurements, so, I'll have to eyeball it.

 Fall Through失敗;不完成
Definition / Meaning:
Fail

Not be completed

To be unsuccessful
Examples:
Our plans for the weekend fell through, and we ended up staying home.

If his plan falls through, he'll have to get another job.

Teaching assistants catch children before they fall through cracks.

 A game plan策略;計劃
Definition / Meaning of this idiom:A plan for achieving success in business or politics.
A strategy.
Examples of this idiom:Part of the firm's game plan is to expand into China.

In football, a “game plan” is a strategy for winning.

In long term, we could put together a game plan leading to a win-win situation.

Finally, we came up with a successful game plan to market that product.

Contact your providers and ask them to get together a game plan that gets you in the zone.

 Get ahead of the ball未雨綢繆;事先作好準備工作
Definition / Meaning:A plan for achieving success in business or politics.
A strategy.
Be prepared for what's coming.Examples:We can’t afford to run the project that way. We have to get ahead of the ball. We have to improve
the processes.

If you are currently playing with the conventional swing method, it's really easy to let your body get ahead of the ball. You must learn how to avoid that trap.

If you start you downswing by trying to hit the golf ball you will get ahead of the ball which means that your body will be tilted to the left.

Next week is the end of the semester, I have to get my work finished early so I can get ahead of the ball.

Our new software should help our company get ahead of the ball.


Get burned被指責;惹麻煩; 損失一點錢
Definition / Meaning:Lose money
Be caught,
Get blamed,
Get into trouble
Get hurt emotionally
Examples:She got burned in her last relationship, so she doesn't want to seeing guys again.

Tim got burned in that deal. He doesn't want to invest in another biotech company again.

Don't play with fire or you will get burned.

I see a lot of people get burned in the stock market.

Give
and take妥協,和解;互讓解決Definition / Meaning of this idiom:A situation in which people or groups allow each other to have or do some of the things that they
want. Participants need to give and take, to make allowances, to find compromises.

Capacity to yield; flexibility.

Cooperation

Practice of compromise.

Lively exchange of ideas or conversation
Examples of this idiom:Every contract involves some give and take.

I hope there will be some give and take at the conference table.

Teamwork requires give and take. Are you a team player?

Tim was used to working alone. Now, he has to learn to participate in the give and take.


Give someone the runaround不作正面回應;支吾以對
Definition / Meaning of the idiom:
Not answer a question or request, direct them
somewhere else for the answer.
Behave repeatedly in a deceptive or evasive way towards them.
Cook up; Clover up; Fake it
Examples of the idiom:
I'm trying to get a passport, but the embassy staff keep giving me the runaround.

Tim always gives us the runaround when we ask him questions.

I could tell he didn't want to answer our questions. He just gave us the runaround.


Go by the book墨守成規;依法辦事
Definition / Meaning:
Do something exactly as the rules tell you.
Follow the rules exactly
Examples:
Tim always goes strictly by the book, he fails to reach the target.

The police officers always go by the book when they arrest a criminal.

David has decided to follow their comedy instincts rather than go by the book.

Our supervisor is so strict that we've always to go by the book.

I want you to go by the book at first; you can be creative later.




Go down in flames失敗;突然終止...
Definition /Meaning of this idiom:Fail or end suddenly and completely.
Examples of this idiom:I've seen two mass-transit plans go down in flames in the last three years.

It's almost unendurably painful for a fan to watch his favorite band go down in flames.

When I go down, I go down in flames!

At any rate, I hate this chain store, and would love to see them go down in flames (which they
appear to be doing).

We thought Tim was going to advance quickly in his company, but he went down in flames. He
was even fired.

When they went over budget, that project went down in flames.