Business English

Put something on the back burner

By Pamela on September 16 2019

When you put something on the back burner, you put it on hold to deal with at a later time. You could put something on the back burner because it’s not important, it’s not urgent, or you just don’t have the time or resources to deal with it at the moment.

A lot on your plate

By Pamela on August 26 2019

When you have a lot on your plate, you have a lot of important tasks to manage. This could mean that you’re trying to balance multiple projects at one time, or you’re dealing with one large, demanding project.

Up in the air

By Pamela on April 15 2019

If you’re working on resolving an issue but the outcome is still uncertain, you can say it’s up in the air. This means that there are still actions or decisions that need to be made before it is settled.

Draw up

By Di on April 1 2019
Hands drawing up a contract

The words "draw" and "up" take on a new meaning when you put them together. The idiomatic phrase "draw up" is usually used to talk about plans or contracts. It means to prepare a written document with details of a plan or arrangement. 

Draw up can be used in any tense. Here are some examples of how to use it:

Across the board

By Di on March 11 2019
Organization network analysis on a presentation board

If something applies to everyone or everything, it's across the board. It's most often used to talk about money. 

Here are some examples of how to use this phrase:

Cut a deal

By Di on March 4 2019
Man holding out his hand for a handshake to cut a deal

When two people or organizations negotiate an agreement so that each one profits, they cut a deal. You each have to give up, or "cut", some of what you want so that you can both make some profit, even if it's not as much as you wanted.

Here are a couple of examples: