Άρης Γαβριηλίδης
συγγραφέας-εικαστικός
Tailor-made = Purpose-made, specifically made for somebody to cover exclusively his own specific needs.
Take it or leave it = A possible phase of negotiations where the one party asks the other to accept that last offer as it is, without any further negotiations otherwise the negotiations fail.
Take my word for that = Believe me
Team spirit = The attitude of the team members to work together supporting each other
Team work = The job being done by a number of people working together and supporting each other
That is why (one) is paid for = It is (one’s) duty to do something because it is within (one’s) professional responsibilities to do that
The ball is at your court, now = Now it is your turn to act, to respond
The best way to go bankrupt is to be right the wrong moment = It emphasizes the importance of correct timing
The bottom line = The last line of the Profit and Loss Account of a Company reflecting the net result. Also, the ending result of an action.
The bread and butter = The basic products or services of a company which produce income sufficient to cover the every day expenses
The buck stops here = The ultimately responsible person to resolve a problem
The carrot and the stick approach = The reward-and-the-punishment approach
The catch of the day = literary speaking: The quantity of fish that a fisher caught any day, denoting also the freshness of the fish. Metaphorically, the volume of one’s work of a specific day.
The customer is the King = A motto emphasizing the customer’s importance for the well being of a company
The devil you know better = In case of a dilemma, it is better to choose the alternative you are already familiar with from previous experience.
The domino effect = The phenomenon where an initial action creates consecutive and sometimes undesired reactions
The down-under = Australia (taken from a song)
The drinks are on the house = The drinks are free as they are offered by the shop-keeper = Τα ποτά τα κερνά το κατάστημα
The early bird gets the worm = The earlier you start doing something, before your competitors do, the higher the chances to succeed
The floor is yours = Now it is your turn to speak
The floor of the Stock Exchange = The platform, the room of the Stock Exchange
The glass is half-full rather than half-empty = The well-known expression denoting optimism
The hard way = The difficult way
The hell with that = Let it be = Να πάει στο διάβολο
The higher the risk, the higher the reward = A very basic principle denoting the degree of the risk with the degree with the reward.
The horse’s mouth = The key person, the primarily responsible, the decision-maker. Used only in the phrase: “To talk to the horse’s mouth” meaning to talk directly to the key person without using any intermediaries.
The LA = Los Angeles
The more you try, the luckier you get = It denotes that luck is just the result of efforts made, by just increasing the probabilities
The Murphy’s law = “Whatever is to go wrong, will go wrong”
The name of the game is = The major issue is.
The pace setter = The one who sets the speed of a procedure = Ο βηματοδότης
The Pareto’s rule (80%-20%) = The 80% of the benefit of a certain thing comes from the 20% of its size. E.g. The 80% of the profits of a company comes from the 20% of its customers, or, The 80% most important part of a book comes from the 20 % of its pages
The plain vanilla (scenario etc) = The most simple
The point of no return = The point at which e.g. an airplane has passed the have distance to its destination and, therefore, its bunkers are not sufficient for returning to the starting point. Used metaphorically.
The project will fly, the project could not fly = The project will suceed, the project could not be successful
The proof of the pudding is in the eating = You must judge the efficiency of something from the results it produces.
The pros and cons = The advantages and disadvantages = Τα υπέρ και τα κατά
The salami approach = To take something little by little, one at a time, because if you try to take it all at once, you will create a big reaction and, eventually, you will get nothing
The scapegoat = Somebody who, though innocent, is blamed for an error or a crime so that the guilty parties escape (bible) = Ο αποδιοπομπαίος τράγος
The sky is the limit = There is no limit to one’s ambitions or prospects, etc
The worse is behind us = The most difficult part of the problem has already passed
There is a chemistry between them. The chemistry works = Two people, (e.g. business associates), like the character of one each other, they understand each other, they cooperate smoothly without friction = Η χημεία τους ταιριάζει.
There is a lot of paddling under the water = The picture of a swan or a duck which moves smoothly and elegantly on the surface of a lake, giving the impression that this is done with out any effort, while the work is done be the invisible legs, paddling hard under the water. The phrase refers to the invisible, at a first glance, hard effort being made by some people so that the impressive ending result is produced.
There is no such a thing as a free lunch = Nothing is free though sometimes it seems to be free because the one that donates something targets to an, invisible at firsts sight, reward.
They are going to be sold like hot cakes = They are going to be sold very easily
Think big = Be ambitious, do not hesitate to be ambitious
Third party = Any other party except the parties who have made a deal or signed a business contract
This is what I call a. = A phrase emphasizing the word or phrase that follows
This is your baby = This is your responsibility to handle
Time is a great healer = (Self explanatory)
Time is money = Time is valuable, do not waste your time = O χρόνος είναι χρήμα
Time lag = The difference in time (see also “jet lag”)
Tit for tat = A series of clever answers = αλληλουχία εύστοχων ερωταπαντήσεων
To accept criticism = One to be prepared to be criticized by somebody who is entitled to do that (boss, supervisor etc.) aiming to one’s improvement.
Accommodate (to) = To cover the needs. See also “Accommodation”
Adopt a “wait and see policy” (to) = Not to take a decision or action right now but to wait first for the developments
Be alerted (to) = To be aware of
To be better off = To be in a more advantageous position now compared to a previous position
To be concise and to the point = When speaking or writing a report, avoid contradictions and be brief and specific.
To be continued = Used when interrupting,, usually because of running out of time with the promise to continue with the first occasion
To be hot to do something = To be very interested, eager to do something
To be in the middle of nowhere = To be lost somewhere = Χαμένος στη μέση του πουθενά
To be open to suggestions = To be flexible in taking decisions after considering the suggestions of other parties
To be pissed off (slang) = To be angry
To be pushy = To press in an aggressive way somebody in order for him to do something
To be registered = To have expressed explicitly my ideas and thoughts on a certain subject, so that, at a later stage, to be able to refer to it in order to defend my position.
To bear the costs = To pay the costs
To beat war drums = to prepare oneself for fight, to prepare hostile action against somebody
To bite the bullet = To take a hard and radical decision
To build up (a relationship, experience, etc.) = To create, accumulate, cultivate something progressively
To buy time = To postpone, to temporize an event in order to prepare better myself before I face it
To capitalize on = To be based on, to use to your benefit an advantage you already have
To catch the flight = To be promptly at the airport in order not to miss the plane = Να προλάβω την πτήση
To cement = To secure. To make sure
To corner somebody = To put in a defending position somebody
To create a precedent = To cause an event that will be used, at a later stage as an argument for the creation of another, similar event = δημιουργώ προηγούμενο
To cross check = To verify the authenticity or correctness of something through checking with another source. Not to be confused with «double check» meaning doublication of the verifying procedure or work
To cry over the spilled milk = It does not make any sense to worry about an irrevocable event
To cut the corners = To reduce the costs of a project at the expense of its quality.
To deliver = To fulfil what you have promised
To do something for good = To do something entirely
To do wishful thinking = To express thoughts that are not realistic but subjective, influenced by the desire to prove to be correct. = Ευσεβείς πόθοι
To draw a rosy picture = To describe a situation or an event better than it actually is
To draw conclusions = To conclude
To ear-mark = To mark something for a specific purpose
To educate the market = To inform, little by little, the market players of certain techniques, principals, etc, which had been unknown to them.
To figure out = To have a clue, to understand, to form an opinion
To get the feeling of the market = To understand how the market thinks about something
To give somebody a second chance = See “second chance”
To give special emphasis = to emphasize, to stress the point, to underline
To go through an exercise = To do a job as en experiment and draw conclusions from the results.
To have a “go” = To have been given by somebody the green light to go ahead in doing something
To have a “say” = To be in a position to influence the decision of somebody or to have the right, e.g. because one is a major shareholder in a company, to dictate one’s decision.
To have a high regard for somebody = To respect somebody
To have access to = To be empowered to see or visit something or somebody = Έχω προσπέλαση, πρόσβαση
To have something at the tip of my tongue = I am trying to remember something, I am close to it but I still fail = προσπαθώ να θυμηθώ κάτι που το έχω «στην άκρη της γλώσσας μου για να το πω»
To have the guts = To have the courage to do something = Να έχεις τα κότσια να κάνεις κάτι.
To have the right of the first refusal = To have the right to consider a deal before any other competitor who will consider the deal only if you turn it down.
To hope for the best and be prepared for the worse = Applicable when waiting for some good but uncertain news.
To join forces = To work together, to cooperate in order to achieve a common target
To join the club = To become a member of a group of people with the same characteristics, used mostly in a humorous way e.g. addressed my a married person to a just-married.
To keep a low profile = Not to make a fuzz about myself, to avoid publicity, to be humble
To keep a mental note = To remember something I have seen or heard
To keep somebody happy = To make sure that e.g. an employee is satisfied with the conditions of his / her job, otherwise I run the risk that he joins another company.
To kill the project = To destroy a project, to make a project unsuccessful. See also «Project» and «The project will fly»
To launch = Το introduce e.g. an idea or a new product in to the market = λανσάρω
To leak, leakage = Illegal and secret flow of information to inappropriate parties
To lick one’s wounds = To try to recover
To lift the subjects = To accept
To lose face = To find myself in an embarrassing position feeling ridiculous = Ρεζιλεύομαι
To make a proposal = To propose something
To make sense = To be reasonable, sensible
To make sure = To ensure
To move the goalposts = To change the rules when they do not serve, any more, your targets thus making more difficult the actions of your opponent
To out perform = To perform above the average
To owe something = See “You owe me something”
To pay off = To pay back its value, to be worthwhile
To pierce the corporate veil = To reveal the actual shareholders of a corporation. See also “Corporate veil”
To play something at my fingertips = To know something very well = Παίζω κάτι στα δάχτυλα
To prove myself = To demonstrate my skills, through my job, to somebody, e.g. a new boss, trying to convince him that I worth my salary.
To pull the plug = To discontinue the support to sb with a detrimental effect for him/her = Να τραβήξεις το χαλί
To raise eyebrows = To create concern
To raise the subjects = To eliminate, to cancel the terms, provisions set as they have been satisfied. See also «Subjects»
To reconfirm, reconfirmation = To reassure the confirmation = Επανεπιβεβαίωση
To revert on that = To come back again on that issue
To rub shoulders with = To be a close friend with
To run a business / company = To operate a business = διευθύνω μια επιχείρηση
To sell myself = To present a picture of my self to the other people, (regarding skills, capabilities etc) better than the actual.
To shake hands = To say “hello” to somebody just shaking hands, not having the time for a lengthy discussion.
To shop around = To contact various vendors pretending to have buying interest in order to check their sales conditions.
To side stream = To forward money or other liquid assets to destinations other than the officially intended.
To start from scratch = To start from the very beginning = Αρχίζοντας από το μηδέν
To start something from zero basis = To start something disregarding all previous arrangements, agreements etc = Από μηδενική βάση
To stick my neck out = To take personally a risk in order to support some body.
To stick to the facts = To focus our attention to the bare facts only, putting aside any assumptions or conceptions which may lead us to faulse conclusions.
To stick to the rules = To follow strictly the regulations without showing any flexibility.
To stop smoking = To quit smoking, to give up smoking
To strike a deal = To make a deal, to agree up a business
To take the challenge = To respond to the provocation of somebody or something = Ανταποκρίνομαι στην πρόκληση
To take the credit = The quality of my work to be acknowledged by the proper people
To talk to the horse’s mouth = To address to the decision maker, the key person, the primarily responsible, not his subordinates or intermediaries, in order to achieve your target.
To tap the (xyz) market = To enter the (xyz) market
To temporize = To postpone, to delay = αναβάλλω, χρονοτριβώ
To test one’s appetite = To say or propose something to somebody, indirectly, in order to explore his / her willingness to do something.
To test one’s reaction = To say or propose something to somebody just in order, from his first reaction, to have an idea of how he things on a specific issue, before making a real proposal
To the best of my knowledge = As far as I know
To turn a blind eye to = To pretend not to see a false situation = κάνω τα στραβά μάτια
To turn down = To reject a request submitted to you for approval or consent
To walk out of a deal = To break, to cancel a deal
To whom it may concern = The addressee of a letter to be sent or delivered in the future, who, the moment of writing that letter remains unknown or there are too many addresses
To wrap up = Used at the end of a seminar, presentation, etc, meaning “to summarize and conclude”
Tomorrow is another day = Tomorrow things will be better
Tomorrow morning I want it on my desk = Αn expression addressed by Managers to their subordinates requesting a job to be done urgently.
Too good to be true = Some news that are suspiciously good, or unexpectedly good
Top up = To add a quantity up to a certain limit in order to cover a gap
Total Quality Management (TQM) = The managerial concept under which the allowance for the production of defective products or services is zero
Tough luck = Bad luck
Track record = Performance record
Traffic jam = Heavy traffic = Μποτιλιάρισμα
Transaction oriented, relationship oriented = See «Relationship oriented, transaction oriented»
Tripartite Agreement = The agreement involving three parties, instead the usual two
Trouble maker = The person who is of a difficult character and creates problems with his/her behavior
Trouble shooter = The person, in a company, who is handling the problem situations.
Try and error = A method for reaching to a true and reliable result based on the experiment i.e. try a solution and if it is not successful try the next one