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Category: Business Idioms & Phrasal Verbs

  • A Lemon

    🗓️ Idiom: A Lemon (n)

    💬 Meaning

    • A product, especially a vehicle or electronic item, that does not work well or has many problems
    • Something defective or disappointing after purchase

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • The new tablet looked great in the ad, but it turned out to be a lemon.
    • They offered a refund because the customer claimed the laptop was a lemon.
    • Selling a lemon to a customer can hurt the company’s reputation.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom comes from American slang in the early 1900s. A “lemon” was used to describe something that looked good but failed to meet expectations. It became especially common in the car industry to describe faulty vehicles.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:
    The car broke down after one week. I think we bought ____________________.

    Answer

    a lemon

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “a lemon”:
    A) A delicious product
    B) A faulty or disappointing product
    C) A high-performing item

    Answer

    B) A faulty or disappointing product

    3. Change the sentence using “a lemon”:
    “The phone has had nothing but problems since we bought it.”

    Answer

    The phone is a lemon.

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  • A Tough Sell

    🗓️ Idiom: A Tough Sell (n)

    💬 Meaning

    • Something that is difficult to persuade someone to accept or buy
    • An idea, product, or proposal that people do not easily agree with

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • Convincing investors to fund a second app after the first one failed was a tough sell.
    • Their new pricing model is a tough sell in such a competitive market.
    • The customer service team found the new subscription plan a tough sell to long-term users.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom comes from the world of sales. If a product is hard to sell, it’s called a “tough sell.” Over time, the phrase began to describe anything that is difficult to promote, explain, or convince someone to accept.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:
    Getting clients to accept the new return policy has been ____________________.

    Answer

    a tough sell

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “a tough sell”:
    A) Something easy to promote
    B) Something hard to convince people about
    C) A friendly sales tactic

    Answer

    B) Something hard to convince people about

    3. Change the sentence using “a tough sell”:
    “Convincing the team to use the new software was very difficult.”

    Answer

    Convincing the team to use the new software was a tough sell.

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  • Snake Oil Salesman

    🗓️ Idiom: Snake Oil Salesman (n)

    💬 Meaning

    • A person who sells or promotes something that is fake, useless, or dishonest
    • Someone who makes big promises but cannot deliver results

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • The product sounded amazing, but the man selling it turned out to be a snake oil salesman.
    • Be careful of snake oil salesmen online who claim their tool will solve all your business problems.
    • That software looked impressive, but it was promoted by a snake oil salesman with no real proof.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom comes from the 1800s in the United States. Traveling salesmen claimed that “snake oil” could cure many health problems, but the products were often fake. Today, the phrase is used for anyone selling false or exaggerated solutions.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:
    We thought the consultant had the answer, but in the end, he was just a ________.

    Answer

    snake oil salesman

    2. Choose the correct meaning:
    What does “snake oil salesman” mean?
    a) Someone who sells natural medicine
    b) Someone who promotes fake or dishonest solutions
    c) Someone who works hard to sell good products

    Answer

    b) Someone who promotes fake or dishonest solutions

    3. Change the sentence using “snake oil salesman”:
    “The salesperson promised great results, but none of the claims were true.”

    Answer

    The salesperson was a snake oil salesman.

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  • Throw the Kitchen Sink at Something

    🗓️ Idiom: Throw the Kitchen Sink at Something (V)

    💬 Meaning

    • To use every possible method, effort, or resource to achieve something.
    • Often used when someone tries very hard to make something succeed or to win.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • The sales team threw the kitchen sink at the final pitch to win the contract.
    • We threw the kitchen sink at our holiday campaign, but the results were still disappointing.
    • She threw the kitchen sink at trying to close the deal before the end of the quarter.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom comes from the humorous idea of using everything available—even the kitchen sink—to solve a problem or reach a goal. It became popular in the mid-1900s and is often used in business and sports.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:
    They __________ the product launch by using every ad platform and running nonstop promotions.

    Answer

    threw the kitchen sink at

    2. Choose the correct meaning:
    What does “throw the kitchen sink at something” mean?
    a) To waste time and money
    b) To use every possible way to succeed
    c) To clean everything before a meeting

    Answer

    b) To use every possible way to succeed

    3. Change the sentence using “throw the kitchen sink at something”:
    “The marketing team used all their energy and ideas to try to boost sales.”

    Answer

    The marketing team threw the kitchen sink at trying to boost sales.

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  • Sell Sand to the Arabs

    🗓️ Idiom: Sell Sand to the Arabs (V)

    💬 Meaning

    • To be extremely good at selling. Even selling something to someone who has no need for it.
    • Used to describe someone who is very skilled at convincing others.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • Our top salesperson could sell sand to the Arabs—she never comes back without a deal.
    • You must be confident and convincing if you want to sell sand to the Arabs in this industry.
    • His pitch was so good, he basically sold sand to the Arabs during that product demo.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom plays on the idea of selling something to someone who already has a lot of it—in this case, sand to people living in the desert. It shows how skilled or persuasive someone must be to do that. It’s similar in meaning to “sell ice to Eskimos.”

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:
    Our sales manager is so persuasive she could __________ —no wonder she always wins the biggest clients.

    Answer

    sell sand to the Arabs

    2. Choose the correct meaning:
    What does “sell sand to the Arabs” mean?
    a) To start a business in the desert
    b) To be extremely good at persuading someone
    c) To make a quick sale

    Answer

    b) To be extremely good at persuading someone

    3. Change the sentence using “sell sand to Arabs”:
    “She sells to every customer that comes into the shop.”

    Answer

    She could sell sand to the Arabs.

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  • Sell Ice to Eskimos

    🗓️ Idiom: Sell Ice to Eskimos (v)

    💬 Meaning

    • To be very good at selling things.
    • To make people buy something they do not really need.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • Jake is such a good salesperson—he could sell ice to Eskimos.
    • Their top agent can sell ice to Eskimos with her friendly style.
    • He sold another upgrade to the client. He really can sell ice to Eskimos!

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom is based on a funny idea: selling ice to people who already have a lot of it. It shows that someone is very persuasive and can sell almost anything—even when it makes no sense.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:
    Our sales manager is so convincing, she could ________ ice to ________.

    Answer

    sell, Eskimos

    2. Choose the best meaning of “sell ice to Eskimos”:
    A) To deliver products quickly
    B) To sell something that is not needed using persuasive skills
    C) To sell frozen goods to cold regions

    Answer

    B) To sell something that is not needed using persuasive skills

    3. Change the sentence using “sell ice to Eskimos”:
    “She has amazing sales skills—she can convince anyone to buy things they don’t even want.”

    Answer

    She has amazing sales skills—she could sell ice to Eskimos.

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  • Twist Someone’s Arm

    🗓️ Idiom: Twist Someone’s Arm (v)

    💬 Meaning

    • To strongly persuade or pressure someone to do something.
    • To convince someone to agree, often unwillingly.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • I wasn’t planning to buy anything, but the salesperson twisted my arm with a special deal.
    • The manager had to twist his arm to get him to agree to the new contract.
    • She didn’t want to upgrade her plan, but after some convincing, they twisted her arm.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom comes from the literal image of twisting someone’s arm to force them to do something. It began to be used in the mid-20th century to describe persuasive or pressuring tactics in conversation, especially in sales or negotiations.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:
    We had to ________ the client’s ________ to get them to accept the new pricing model.

    Answer

    twist, arm

    2. Choose the best meaning of “twist someone’s arm”:
    A) Offer them a handshake
    B) Give them a free trial
    C) Strongly persuade them to do something

    Answer

    C) Strongly persuade them to do something

    3. Change the sentence using “twist someone’s arm”:
    “They convinced me to stay on the phone and listen to the full sales pitch.”

    Answer

    They twisted my arm to stay on the phone and listen to the full sales pitch.

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  • High Pressure Sales

    🗓️ Idiom: High-Pressure Sales (n)

    💬 Meaning

    • A sales method that uses intense persuasion to make someone buy.
    • Selling that creates urgency or stress for the customer.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • The team was trained in high-pressure sales techniques to close deals faster.
    • Many customers dislike high-pressure sales and prefer a relaxed approach.
    • Using high-pressure sales may lead to short-term wins but long-term trust issues.

    🏛️ Origin

    “High-pressure sales” began to appear in the early 20th century, especially in relation to door-to-door and telephone sales. It comes from the idea of applying psychological “pressure” to push a sale, similar to forcing something to happen under high physical pressure.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:
    The company faced complaints for using ________ tactics during their product launch campaign.

    Answer

    high-pressure sales

    2. Choose the best meaning of “high-pressure sales”:
    A) Offering discounts over time
    B) Persuading someone with urgency and intensity
    C) Giving customers extra time to think

    Answer

    B) Persuading someone with urgency and intensity

    3. Change the sentence using “high-pressure sales”:
    “They tried to make me buy the product by creating stress and urgency.”

    Answer

    They tried to make me buy the product with high pressure sales.

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  • Hard Sell

    🗓️ Idiom: Hard Sell (n)

    💬 Meaning

    • A very forceful or aggressive way of trying to sell something.
    • A sales approach that pressures the customer to make a quick decision.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • The car dealer used a hard sell approach, making me feel uncomfortable.
    • Customers often walk away when they feel they’re getting a hard sell.
    • We want to focus on building trust, not using the hard sell method.

    🏛️ Origin

    The idiom “hard sell” became popular in the mid-1900s, especially in advertising and marketing. It refers to intense, direct pressure to make a purchase, often used in sales pitches or commercials.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:
    Some startup founders think a ________ is the best way to boost early sales, but it can scare off customers.

    Answer

    hard sell

    2. Choose the best meaning of “hard sell”:
    A) A gentle suggestion to consider a product
    B) A strategy to reduce product prices
    C) A very aggressive attempt to make someone buy

    Answer

    C) A very aggressive attempt to make someone buy

    3. Change the sentence using “hard sell”:
    “The salesperson pushed me too hard to make a decision on the spot.”

    Answer

    The salesperson gave me the hard sell.

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  • Sales Pitch

    🗓️ Idiom: Sales Pitch (n)

    💬 Meaning

    • A prepared presentation or speech used to persuade someone to buy a product or service.
    • Writing or speaking to try and sell something.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • The team spent the morning preparing their sales pitch for the new software package.
    • During the call, the representative gave me a strong sales pitch, but I still wasn’t convinced.
    • Her sales pitch focused on how the product would help companies cut costs.

    🏛️ Origin

    The term “pitch” has long been used in sales and advertising to mean a spoken attempt to sell something. It comes from the idea of “pitching” or “throwing” an idea at someone, hoping they’ll accept it—similar to how a pitcher throws a ball in baseball.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:
    We only had five minutes to deliver our ________ to the potential investors.

    Answer

    sales pitch

    2. Choose the best meaning of “sales pitch”:
    A) A written contract between buyer and seller
    B) A persuasive talk to encourage someone to buy
    C) A complaint made by a customer

    Answer

    B) A persuasive talk to encourage someone to buy

    3. Change the sentence using “sales pitch”:
    “The manager gave a persuasive talk to try to sell the service package.”

    Answer

    The manager gave a sales pitch for the service package.

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