Hi everyone, I am Niharika back with a new lesson for you. Today we are going to look
at some sports related business idioms. Now when you do business with native English speakers,
you will come across a lot of expressions related to war, fire, health and so on. But
the biggest area belongs to sports. So I have some expressions for you that are related
to sports and these expressions will help you speak fluently in the business world.
So let's have a look.
The first one that I have for you is kick off. Well of course kick off comes from the
game football and what does it mean? Well, especially when players begin the game of
football the first thing is the kick off, that's when the game starts, right? Now here
also the expression kick off means to begin something, to start something. So for example
if you have to use it while speaking, then you would says that. Good morning everyone.
So should we kick off the meeting? So this means that should we start the meeting? So
kick off means to start something. Alright the second expression that I have for you
is on target. Now on target belongs to the game of archery and what does it mean? Well
on target means that you are making a good progress and you are likely to achieve your
goals. So if you have to use it a sentence, you would say, well apparently we all are
on target and we might definitely get this project. So this means that whatever you are
doing or planning to win a contract or to a win a project, you are on target. So you
are making progress and you are running towards achieving the goal. Okay, so that's what on
target means, to make progress and therefore you are likely to achieve your goals.
The third one that I have for you is up to scratch. Now up to scratch belongs to the
game of track and field and what does this mean when we use this expression
in the business world? Well up to scratch menas to be of a good standard or to be acceptable.
Now this means that when we work in a team, probably we need people in our team who are
good in their work, who are of a good standard. Right, so that's why we use the expression
up to scratch. For example, you could say that, well this project is very, very important
for us and the people that we hire for this project should be up to scratch. This means
they should be of a good standard. Okay, so that's when you can use this expression. The
next one that I have for you is know the ropes. Now know the ropes well it comes from sailing,
belongs to the world of sailing and what does it mean? Well, know the ropes means someone
who really has all the knowledge and skills to do or to perform certain work. So when
you hire someone, you hire a new team member or you hire a new director and you say that
he really knows the ropes. So this means that he does have all the knowledge and the skills
to perform in a really, excellent manner. Okay so that's when you use the phrase know
the ropes. The next one that I have for you is ballpark
figure. Now ballpark figure belongs to the game of baseball and
the meaning of ballpark figure is a rough estimate. So when do we use or how do we use
in the business world. Well, you might have heard people saying; uhh... could you give
me a ballpark figure of the sales this year? Or could you give me a ballpark figure that
we need to pay for this project okay or the costing. So here you are asking for a rough
estimate or a guesstimate. Okay so you are asking for a very rough estimate and that's
what you mean, when you use the expression ballpark figure okay.
The next one that I have for you is jump the gun. Now what does this really mean? Well
it comes, well the origin of this expression is, you know when athletes they are ready
to race, okay they always start their race on hearing the pistol, okay. But at times,
when athletes, they just begin racing and they just start running, even before hearing
the pistol fire, this means that they jumped the gun and probably they are disqualified
or they start the game again. So jump the gun means when you just take the next step
forward even before thinking what would be the consequences, okay. So maybe you are going
too fast. So if you want to use this expression in the business world, you would say, I don't
want to jump the gun with this presentation. So here what I mean is probably this presentation
is extremely important, it's essential to get a contract, to get a project and I really
don't want to jump the gun. I really don't want to go very fast. I want to go ahead and
research on this and you know prepare myself really well for this presentation. So you
don't want to go too fast without thinking. Okay so that's when you would use this expression.
The next that I have for you is in pole position. Now this belongs to car racing and in pole
position means you know when a car, when the cars are ready to race, okay pole position
is considered to be the best position for the car to begin the race. Very lucky ones
get that, so the pole position is the best position. And when we talk about in pole position
for the business world it means that you are doing good, you are in a good position to
achieve something. So this means that probably our company is in pole position to win this
contract. So this means that we have a great chance of winning this contract. Okay so means
we are in a great position. Right and then the last one that I have for you is neck and
neck, belongs to horse racing. Now neck and neck is a very, very tough competition. Where
in for example in a horse race, okay let's consider the example of a horse race. So probably
they are just about to end the race and it's a very tough competition because both are
really doing well. Okay both the jockeys are riding really fast and the difference is just
going to be very little okay anyone can win. Either it can be A or it can be B, anybody
can win. So it’s a very neck and neck competition. So here when we use it in the business world,
again neck and neck means a great competition wherein anybody can achieve or win a project,
a contract, okay for example, we are neck and neck with the competitors so we have to
really work hard in order to achieve this contract. Okay so which means that even our
competitors are doing extremely well and there are chances that they may also get the contract,
but we have to work really hard with our neck and neck competitors okay. So this is the
way you would use these expressions and start using them on a daily basis in order to sound
really fluent especially in the business world. I'll be back with a new lesson for you till
then you take care and have good day.