Business idioms

Here is a list of business idioms

Boys in the backroom

This expression is used to refer to the group of men who make decisions behind the scenes.

The boys in the backroom told us that at least hundred employees were going to be laid off.

Break even

When a business breaks even, its profits are equal to its expenses.

It took me six months to break even.

Bring something to the table

To bring something to the table is to make an offer during a negotiation.

They brought an irresistible offer to the table during the negotiations.

Budget squeeze / budget crunch

When there is a budget squeeze, there is not enough money

The budget squeeze forced the company to cut corners.

Buy a stake in (something)

To buy a stake in something is to buy part ownership.

Several multinational companies are keen on buying a stake in this small startup.

Buy off

To buy someone off is to bribe them.

The politician tried to buy off the journalist but he was not successful.

Buy out

To buy something out is to buy the ownership of it.

Small companies are often bought out by large organizations.

Buy something on credit

To buy something on credit is to buy without paying money.

As I had no money, I bought some grocery on credit.

Buyer’s market

This expression is used to refer to a situation where the buyer has an advantage because there are more sellers than buyers.

As it was a buyer’s market we had to offer some huge discounts to lure customers.

By a long shot

By a big difference

We beat out their offer by a long shot and managed to clinch the deal easily.