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Category: idioms

  • Facing Headwinds

    🗓️ Idiom: Facing Headwinds (v)

    💬 Meaning

    • To experience difficulties that slow progress.
    • It describes challenges that make moving forward harder, especially during change.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • The company is facing headwinds due to rising material costs.
    • Our expansion plans are facing headwinds from new regulations.
    • The project team faced headwinds from stakeholders who didn’t support the change.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom comes from sailing and aviation, where a headwind (a wind blowing towards you) slows down your movement. In business, “facing headwinds” means dealing with factors that make progress more difficult.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    We are __________ with declining sales and increased competition.

    Answer

    facing headwinds

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “facing headwinds”:

    A) Moving forward easily
    B) Ignoring problems
    C) Dealing with strong challenges
    D) Finishing early

    Answer

    C) Dealing with strong challenges

    3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:

    “The company is struggling due to several external challenges.” → Change the sentence using: facing headwinds

    Answer

    The company is facing headwinds due to several external challenges.

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  • A Rough Patch

    🗓️ Idiom: A Rough Patch (n)

    💬 Meaning

    • A difficult or challenging period of time.
    • It refers to a temporary phase when things are not going well, especially in business or relationships.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • The company hit a rough patch after losing two major clients.
    • Every business goes through a rough patch during big changes.
    • The team experienced a rough patch while adjusting to the new management style.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom likely comes from farming or travel, where a “rough patch” refers to uneven or hard ground. In business, it’s used to describe tough times that are usually short-term.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    The department is going through __________ due to the sudden restructuring.

    Answer

    a rough patch

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “a rough patch”:

    A) A period of success
    B) A time of slow but steady progress
    C) A short time of difficulty or trouble
    D) A final decision

    Answer

    C) A short time of difficulty or trouble

    3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:

    “The company is having a temporary period of difficulty.” → Change the sentence using: a rough patch

    Answer

    The company is going through a rough patch.

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  • A Sea Change

    🗓️ Idiom: A Sea Change (n)

    💬 Meaning

    • A big and important transformation in the way something is done or understood.
    • It describes a large and lasting change in direction, thinking, or operations.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • There has been a sea change in how companies approach employee wellbeing.
    • The decision to go digital-only marked a sea change in the company’s operations.
    • The merger brought a sea change in the leadership and structure of the firm.

    🏛️ Origin

    The idiom comes from Shakespeare’s The Tempest, where it described a magical transformation caused by the sea. Today, it means any deep or dramatic change, especially in mindset or strategy.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    The new CEO brought __________ that transformed the company’s culture.

    Answer

    a sea change

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “a sea change”:

    A) A temporary fix
    B) A small improvement
    C) A major and permanent change
    D) A shift in office location

    Answer

    C) A major and permanent change

    3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:

    “There was a significant shift in how decisions were made across the company.” → Change the sentence using: a sea change

    Answer

    There was a sea change in how decisions were made across the company.

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  • A Baptism of Fire

    🗓️ Idiom: A Baptism of Fire (n)

    💬 Meaning

    • A difficult first experience in a new job or role.
    • It means facing a tough challenge right at the beginning of something new.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • Her first week as team leader was a baptism of fire. Three staff quit and a major client complained.
    • Taking over during a company crisis was a baptism of fire for the new director.
    • Many new employees go through a baptism of fire when they first start.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom originally referred to a soldier’s first experience in battle. Today, it’s used in business and other contexts to describe a tough first experience that tests a person immediately.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    Starting during the system upgrade was __________ for the new IT manager.

    Answer

    a baptism of fire

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “a baptism of fire”:

    A) A slow and easy start
    B) A helpful training program
    C) A difficult beginning experience
    D) A celebration of success

    Answer

    C) A difficult beginning experience

    3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:

    “His first task was very hard and happened during a company emergency.” → Change the sentence using: a baptism of fire

    Answer

    His first task was a baptism of fire during a company emergency.

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  • Clean House

    🗓️ Idiom: Clean House (v)

    💬 Meaning

    • To remove or replace people, systems, or policies that are not working well.
    • It means making big internal changes to improve performance or start fresh.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • After the company’s poor performance, the new CEO decided to clean house.
    • The IT department cleaned house and removed outdated software tools.
    • When a new manager arrives, it’s common to clean house and bring in fresh ideas.

    🏛️ Origin

    The phrase comes from literally cleaning a house. Throwing out what’s unnecessary or harmful. In business, it refers to removing staff, processes, or systems that no longer help the company succeed.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    After several failed projects, upper management chose to __________ and restructure the whole department.

    Answer

    clean house

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “clean house”:

    A) Organize the office space
    B) Promote existing staff
    C) Remove or replace people and systems
    D) Hire a cleaning company

    Answer

    C) Remove or replace people and systems

    3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:

    “The company removed several managers and started fresh with a new team.” → Change the sentence using: clean house

    Answer

    The company cleaned house and started fresh with a new team.

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  • A Bitter Pill to Swallow

    🗓️ Idiom: A Bitter Pill to Swallow (n)

    💬 Meaning

    • A situation or decision that is difficult to accept.
    • It means accepting something unpleasant, especially during business changes or restructuring.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • Losing half the team during the reorganisation was a bitter pill to swallow.
    • The price increase was a bitter pill to swallow, but it was necessary to stay in business.
    • It was a bitter pill to swallow when the project was canceled after months of work.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom comes from the unpleasant experience of taking bad-tasting medicine. In business, it refers to news or decisions that are hard to accept but often required.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    For many employees, the new policy was __________ after years of doing things differently.

    Answer

    a bitter pill to swallow

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “a bitter pill to swallow”:

    A) An easy decision
    B) A surprising discovery
    C) Something difficult but necessary to accept
    D) A funny misunderstanding

    Answer

    C) Something difficult but necessary to accept

    3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:

    “It was very hard for the team to accept the sudden job cuts.” → Change the sentence using: a bitter pill to swallow

    Answer

    The sudden job cuts were a bitter pill to swallow for the team.

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  • A Bumpy Ride

    🗓️ Idiom: A Bumpy Ride (n)

    💬 Meaning

    • A period of time that is full of problems or difficulties.
    • It means experiencing trouble or instability, especially during a business change.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • Switching to a new supplier gave the company a bumpy ride, but things are better now.
    • The restructuring caused a bumpy ride for the HR team in the first few months.
    • It was a bumpy ride at the start, but the new workflow eventually paid off.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom comes from the experience of riding in a vehicle over an uneven surface. In business, it’s often used to describe a process or change that includes many challenges or problems.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    Launching the new customer service system was __________ with technical issues and delays.

    Answer

    a bumpy ride

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “a bumpy ride”:

    A) A time of smooth progress
    B) A relaxed process
    C) A time full of challenges or instability
    D) A successful launch

    Answer

    C) A time full of challenges or instability

    3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:

    “The business experienced many issues when making the change.” → Change the sentence using: a bumpy ride

    Answer

    The business had a bumpy ride when making the change.

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  • A Rocky Road

    🗓️ Idiom: A Rocky Road (n)

    💬 Meaning

    • A situation that is difficult or full of problems.
    • It means going through a tough or challenging process, especially during change or transition.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • The company’s rebranding campaign faced a rocky road, but they stayed committed.
    • Adopting the new system was a rocky road at first, with many bugs and delays.
    • Change management is often a rocky road, but the results can be worth it.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom comes from the image of trying to travel on a rough and uneven road. In business, it describes processes that are full of obstacles, especially when making big changes.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    The merger process turned out to be __________ with many unexpected setbacks.

    Answer

    a rocky road

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “a rocky road”:

    A) A clear and smooth process
    B) A journey with few changes
    C) A difficult process with many challenges
    D) A completely new direction

    Answer

    C) A difficult process with many challenges

    3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:

    “The company’s transition to the new software system was full of challenges.” → Change the sentence using: a rocky road

    Answer

    The company’s transition to the new software system was a rocky road.

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  • A Pilot Program

    🗓️ Idiom: A Pilot Program (n)

    💬 Meaning

    • A small-scale test version of a project or product before a full launch.
    • It means trying something on a smaller level to check if it works.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • We ran a pilot program to test the new software before offering it to all clients.
    • The pilot program helped us find bugs and improve the system.
    • Launching a pilot program first saved the company time and money in the long run.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom comes from the idea of a “pilot” guiding or testing a journey. In business and innovation, a pilot program lets teams test new ideas safely before full rollout.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    Before going public, they launched __________ in one city to test the idea.

    Answer

    a pilot program

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “a pilot program”:

    A) A final version of a new service
    B) A complete national rollout
    C) A small trial of a new project
    D) A repeated training course

    Answer

    C) A small trial of a new project

    3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:

    “The company tested the new product on a small group before releasing it widely.” → Change the sentence using: a pilot program

    Answer

    The company ran a pilot program before releasing the new product widely.

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  • A Moonshot

    🗓️ Idiom: A Moonshot (n)

    💬 Meaning

    • A very ambitious project or idea with a small chance of success.
    • It means trying something bold, risky, and innovative that could lead to big results.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • Their plan to build a fully self-driving car was a moonshot, but they went for it.
    • The new startup’s idea sounded like a moonshot, but investors were still interested.
    • In innovation, sometimes taking a moonshot leads to major breakthroughs.

    🏛️ Origin

    The idiom comes from the U.S. Apollo space program that landed humans on the moon in 1969. At the time, it was seen as an impossible mission. Now, the term is used to describe bold and high-risk projects, especially in tech and innovation.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    Launching a completely new product in just one month was __________.

    Answer

    a moonshot

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “a moonshot”:

    A) A project with low risk
    B) A simple improvement
    C) A very bold and risky project
    D) A plan that avoids change

    Answer

    C) A very bold and risky project

    3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:

    “Their idea was extremely ambitious and had a small chance of success.” → Change the sentence using: a moonshot

    Answer

    Their idea was a moonshot.

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