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Category: Business Idioms & Phrasal Verbs

  • Make a Killing

    🗓️ Idiom: Make a Killing (v)

    💬 Meaning

    • To earn or gain a large amount of money very quickly, often unexpectedly or with a single successful event.
    • This idiom usually implies a significant profit or financial success in a short period of time.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • He made a killing on the stock market last year.
    • They made a killing when they sold their startup to a major tech company.
    • She made a killing flipping real estate during the housing boom.

    🏛️ Origin

    The phrase comes from hunting or warfare, where a “killing” refers to a decisive or victorious action. Over time, it changed to describe a big win in business or finance, particularly one involving money.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    They __________ a killing by investing in cryptocurrency early on.

    Answer

    made

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “make a killing”:

    A) Suffer a financial loss
    B) Break even on an investment
    C) Earn a large profit quickly

    Answer

    C) Earn a large profit quickly

    3. Rewrite the sentence using: Make a Killing

    “He earned a huge amount of money when he sold his shares.”

    Answer

    He made a killing when he sold his shares.

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  • Rake It In

    🗓️ Idiom: Rake It In (v)

    💬 Meaning

    • To earn or receive a large amount of money, especially with little effort.
    • Often used to describe people or businesses that are making significant profits quickly and easily.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • The new app is so popular that the developers are raking it in.
    • Ever since she started selling handmade jewelry online, she’s been raking it in.
    • The company is raking it in thanks to its viral product launch.

    🏛️ Origin

    The phrase originates from the image of using a rake to gather leaves or money from the ground. Just as a rake easily gathers up piles, the idiom came to describe effortlessly collecting large amounts of money.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    That café on the corner is always packed—they must be __________.

    Answer

    raking it in

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “rake it in”:

    A) Lose money from poor investments
    B) Save money by cutting costs
    C) Make a lot of money quickly and easily

    Answer

    C) Make a lot of money quickly and easily

    3. Rewrite the sentence using: Rake it In

    “The startup earned huge profits during its first quarter.”

    Answer

    The startup raked it in during its first quarter.

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  • Make Money Hand Over Fist

    🗓️ Idiom: Make Money Hand Over Fist (v)

    💬 Meaning

    • To make a lot of money very quickly and easily.
    • Often used to describe a business or person that is generating large profits in a short period of time.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • During the holiday season, the online store was making money hand over fist.
    • Since launching their new app, the startup has been making money hand over fist.
    • The consultant made money hand over fist after landing three major clients.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom originally referred to the action of pulling on a rope, hand over fist. It later evolved to mean rapid progress or gain, especially in financial terms. Today, it’s most often used to describe rapid financial success.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    Thanks to a viral marketing campaign, they were __________ after just one week.

    Answer

    making money hand over fist

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “making money hand over fist”:

    A) Losing money rapidly
    B) Earning a lot of money very quickly
    C) Struggling to make ends meet

    Answer

    B) Earning a lot of money very quickly

    3. Rewrite the sentence using: Make Money Hand Over Fist

    “Their business is generating huge profits every day.”

    Answer

    Their business is making money hand over fist every day.

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  • Cost an Arm and A Leg

    🗓️ Idiom: Cost an Arm and a Leg (v)

    💬 Meaning

    • To be extremely expensive or overpriced.
    • Used to describe something that requires a large amount of money, often more than expected or reasonable.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • Their new accounting software cost an arm and a leg, but it’s already saving time.
    • Upgrading the office equipment will cost an arm and a leg, so we need approval.
    • Hiring a top financial advisor might cost an arm and a leg, but it could be worth it.

    🏛️ Origin

    The phrase is believed to have originated after World War I or II, referencing the high cost of war, many soldiers literally lost limbs. Over time, it evolved into a way to describe high monetary cost.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    That designer laptop looks great, but it __________.

    Answer

    costs an arm and a leg

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “cost an arm and a leg”:

    A) To be dangerous
    B) To be very expensive
    C) To be hard to carry

    Answer

    B) To be very expensive

    3. Rewrite the sentence using: Cost an Arm and a Leg

    “Their vacation was extremely expensive.”

    Answer

    Their vacation cost an arm and a leg.

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  • Fight an Uphill Battle

    🗓️ Idiom: Fight an Uphill Battle (v)

    💬 Meaning

    • To be in a difficult situation where success is unlikely or requires a lot of effort.
    • To struggle against significant challenges or resistance, often with little support or progress.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • The finance team is fighting an uphill battle trying to reduce costs without sacrificing quality.
    • Startups often fight an uphill battle when competing with large, established companies.
    • He’s fighting an uphill battle to convince investors that the project is still viable.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom originates from military strategy, where attacking uphill is harder due to gravity and the defensive advantage of higher ground. It now refers to any difficult effort where little or no progress can be made.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    Without public support, the organization was __________ trying to implement the new policy.

    Answer

    fighting an uphill battle

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “fighting an uphill battle”:

    A) Working on a project with guaranteed success
    B) Making progress easily
    C) Struggling against difficult odds

    Answer

    C) Struggling against difficult odds

    3. Rewrite the sentence using: Fight an Uphill Battle

    “The team was struggling to get approval for the budget changes.”

    Answer

    The team was fighting an uphill battle to get approval for the budget changes.

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  • Take a Hit

    🗓️ Idiom: Take a Hit (v)

    💬 Meaning

    • To suffer a financial loss or negative impact, often due to external events or poor performance.
    • To experience a decrease in value, profits, or reputation.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • Our profits took a hit after the new competitor entered the market.
    • The company is taking a hit due to rising material costs.
    • Investors took a hit when the stock price dropped
    • unexpectedly.

    🏛️ Origin

    Originally from physical combat or sports, where “taking a hit” means receiving a blow. In business, it evolved metaphorically to refer to losses or damage, especially financial.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    The tech industry is __________ after new government regulations were introduced.

    Answer

    taking a hit

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “taking a hit”:

    A) Gaining unexpected profit
    B) Suffering a loss or setback
    C) Hiring a new team member

    Answer

    B) Suffering a loss or setback

    3. Rewrite the sentence using: Take a Hit

    “The business experienced a major financial loss this quarter.”

    Answer

    The business took a hit this quarter.

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  • Bleed Cash

    🗓️ Idiom: Bleed Cash (v)

    💬 Meaning

    • To be rapidly losing a large amount of money, especially in a business context.
    • To be spending or losing more money than is being earned, often in a damaging or unsustainable way.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • The startup was bleeding cash and had only a few months of runway left.
    • If the company keeps bleeding cash like this, it won’t survive the year.
    • They had to cut costs drastically because they were bleeding cash.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom draws a parallel to physical bleeding of blood from the body implying serious financial harm. Just as excessive blood loss can be fatal to a person, excessive cash loss can be fatal to a business.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    Due to poor sales and high overheads, the company was __________.

    Answer

    bleeding cash

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “bleeding cash”:

    A) Making a steady profit
    B) Losing money at a rapid rate
    C) Saving large amounts of money

    Answer

    B) Losing money at a rapid rate

    3. Rewrite the sentence using: Bleed Cash

    “The business was losing a lot of money every day.”

    Answer

    The business was bleeding cash every day.

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  • Throw Money Down the Drain

    🗓️ Idiom: Throw Money Down the Drain

    💬 Meaning

    • To waste money on something that brings no value or return.
    • To spend money carelessly or on something ineffective or unnecessary.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • Investing in that outdated software was like throwing money down the drain.
    • If we don’t fix the marketing strategy, we’re just throwing money down the drain.
    • Buying all that expensive equipment before confirming the project was throwing money down the drain.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom uses a vivid image of literally pouring money into a drain where it disappears and becomes unrecoverable. It emphasises the idea of complete financial waste.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    Paying for ads that don’t reach the right audience is just __________.

    Answer

    throwing money down the drain

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “throwing money down the drain”:

    A) Investing in a profitable opportunity
    B) Spending money wisely
    C) Wasting money without any benefit

    Answer

    C) Wasting money without any benefit

    3. Rewrite the sentence using: Throw Money Down the Drain

    “They wasted a lot of money on a failed campaign.

    Answer

    They threw money down the drain with that failed campaign.

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  • In the black

    🗓️ Idiom: In the Black (adj)

    💬 Meaning

    • To be financially healthy or profitable.
    • To have a positive balance in your financial accounts, especially after expenses.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • After a difficult first year, the company is finally in the black.
    • Thanks to strong holiday sales, our store ended the quarter in the black.
    • We need to cut unnecessary costs to stay in the black this year.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom originates from accounting practices where profits were traditionally written in black ink, while losses were written in red. Being “in the black” meant the company was profitable.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    Our startup was __________ within just six months, which surprised everyone.

    Answer

    in the black

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “in the black”:

    A) Operating illegally
    B) Losing money
    C) Earning a profit

    Answer

    C) Earning a profit

    3. Rewrite the sentence using: In the Black

    “The company made a profit for the first time last quarter.”

    Answer

    The company was in the black for the first time last quarter.

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  • In the Red

    🗓️ Idiom: In the Red (adj)

    💬 Meaning

    • To be operating at a financial loss; to owe more money than one has.
    • This idiom is commonly used to describe individuals, businesses, or accounts that are in debt.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • The company has been in the red for three consecutive quarters.
    • After all the expenses, their bank account was deep in the red.
    • If we don’t cut costs soon, we’ll be in the red by the end of the year.

    🏛️ Origin

    The phrase comes from traditional accounting practices, where losses were written in red ink and profits in black ink. Being “in the red” meant the books showed a negative balance. This colour-based system is still reflected in financial reporting today.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    Due to poor sales, the small business ended the year __________.

    Answer

    in the red

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “in the red”:

    A) To be making a profit
    B) To have negative money
    C) To cancel a contract

    Answer

    B) To have negative money

    3. Rewrite the sentence using: In the Red

    “Our expenses are higher than our revenue this month.”

    Answer

    We are in the red this month.

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