Business English Booster

Bite Sized Business English

Tag: Software and IT

  • Go Viral

    🗓️ Idiom: Go Viral (v)

    💬 Meaning

    • To become very popular quickly on the internet.
    • It means information, videos, or software spreading fast online.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • The new app feature went viral and gained millions of users in days.
    • That funny tech video went viral across social media platforms.
    • When a software bug goes viral, it can affect many users fast.

    🏛️ Origin

    The phrase “go viral” uses the idea of a virus spreading quickly. In IT, it means something online spreads rapidly to many people. Usually this describes something becoming very popular vey fast on social media.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    The marketing video for the software update __________ on social media last week.

    Answer

    went viral

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “go viral”:

    A) To disappear quickly
    B) To spread quickly online
    C) To be deleted
    D) To be expensive

    Answer

    B) To spread quickly online

    3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:

    “The app became very popular very fast.” → Change the sentence using: go viral

    Answer

    The app went viral.

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  • Top Notch

    🗓️ Idiom: Top Notch (adj)

    💬 Meaning

    • Of the highest quality or standard.
    • It means excellent or very good.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • The development team delivered top-notch software ahead of schedule.
    • Our IT support provides top-notch service to all clients.
    • This new security system is top notch compared to the old one.

    🏛️ Origin

    “Top notch” originally referred to the highest notch or mark on a tool or measuring device. Over time, it came to mean the best quality or highest standard.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    Our company hired a __________ cybersecurity expert to improve our defenses.

    Answer

    top-notch

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “top notch”:

    A) Average quality
    B) Very poor
    C) The highest quality
    D) Cheap

    Answer

    C) The highest quality

    3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:

    “The software developer is one of the best in the company.” → Change the sentence using: top notch

    Answer

    The software developer is top notch.

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  • Trojan Horse

    🗓️ Idiom: Trojan Horse (n)

    💬 Meaning

    • A trick or tool that looks safe but causes harm once inside a system.
    • In IT, it often means a type of malware disguised as helpful software.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • The fake update was actually a Trojan horse that infected the network.
    • That free app turned out to be a Trojan horse filled with spyware.
    • Always scan attachments — one Trojan horse can crash your system.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom comes from a very old Greek story where the Greeks gave the city of Troy a wooden horse. The wooden horse had soldiers hidden inside. These soldiers then attacked the city form the inside.

    In IT, it describes malware that enters by pretending to be useful or safe.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    Be careful. That free software could be a __________ designed to steal your data.

    Answer

    Trojan horse

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “Trojan horse” in IT:

    A) A safe program
    B) A coding shortcut
    C) Malware hidden in a harmless-looking file
    D) A strong password

    Answer

    C) Malware hidden in a harmless-looking file

    3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:

    “The hacker sent a file that looked safe but caused damage after installation.” → Change the sentence using: Trojan horse

    Answer

    The hacker sent a Trojan horse that caused damage after installation.

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  • Put a Square Peg in a Round Hole

    🗓️ Idiom: Put a Square Peg in a Round Hole (v)

    💬 Meaning

    • To try to fit someone or something into a role that doesn’t suit them.
    • It means forcing a tool, person, or idea into a place where it doesn’t belong.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • Using that old CRM with our new tools is like putting a square peg in a round hole.
    • Assigning a creative developer to repetitive coding tasks felt like putting a square peg in a round hole.
    • Their platform isn’t made for this type of integration. It’s a square peg in a round hole.

    🏛️ Origin

    The idiom comes from the idea that a square object doesn’t fit into a round space. In modern business and IT, it describes poor fits between tools, systems, or people and roles.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    Trying to use a mobile app designed for iOS on an Android system is like __________.

    Answer

    putting a square peg in a round hole

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “put a square peg in a round hole”:

    A) To create a smooth upgrade
    B) To apply a perfect match
    C) To force a bad fit between tools or roles
    D) To test a new feature

    Answer

    C) To force a bad fit between tools or roles

    3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:

    “That outdated plugin doesn’t work with the new system.” → Change the sentence using: put a square peg in a round hole

    Answer

    Using that outdated plugin is like putting a square peg in a round hole.

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  • Put a Band-Aid on It.

    🗓️ Idiom: Put a Band-Aid on It (v)

    💬 Meaning

    • To fix a problem quickly without solving the real cause.
    • It means giving a temporary or surface-level solution.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • The developer just put a Band-Aid on the bug instead of fixing the broken logic.
    • Restarting the server helped, but it’s just a Band-Aid. The code needs to be rewritten.
    • They keep putting Band-Aids on the software instead of building a stable system.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom comes from the brand “Band-Aid,” which is used for covering small cuts. In business, it means covering up a problem instead of solving the deeper issue.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    Adding a quick patch to stop the error message is just __________. We need to fix the code properly.

    Answer

    putting a Band-Aid on it

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “put a Band-Aid on it”:

    A) To fix the root cause of a problem
    B) To avoid fixing anything
    C) To apply a short-term fix that doesn’t solve the main issue
    D) To improve user design

    Answer

    C) To apply a short-term fix that doesn’t solve the main issue

    3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:

    “They applied a temporary patch, but the system problem is still there.” → Change the sentence using: put a Band-Aid on it

    Answer

    They put a Band-Aid on it, but the system problem is still there.

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  • Bump in the Road

    🗓️ Idiom: Bump in the Road (n)

    💬 Meaning

    • A small problem or delay in a process.
    • It means a minor difficulty that doesn’t stop overall progress.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • The team faced a bump in the road with the new software but fixed it quickly.
    • Every big project hits a bump in the road at some point.
    • We had a small bump in the road during testing, but the launch is still on track.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom comes from driving. A “bump in the road” is a small obstacle that might slow you down but doesn’t stop you. In business, it means a temporary setback.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    We hit a small __________ when the system crashed, but it was fixed fast.

    Answer

    bump in the road

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “bump in the road”:

    A) A major failure
    B) A long journey
    C) A small problem or delay
    D) A new opportunity

    Answer

    C) A small problem or delay

    3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:

    “They had a small issue during development, but the team kept going.” → Change the sentence using: bump in the road

    Answer

    They hit a bump in the road during development, but the team kept going.

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  • Put Out Fires

    🗓️ Idiom: Put Out Fires (v)

    💬 Meaning

    • To deal with urgent problems as they happen.
    • It means fixing things quickly instead of planning ahead.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • I spent the whole day putting out fires caused by system errors.
    • Managers often put out fires instead of working on long-term goals.
    • She’s good at staying calm while putting out fires at work.

    🏛️ Origin

    The idiom comes from firefighting, where putting out real fires is urgent and stressful. In business, it means reacting quickly to solve problems before they get worse.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    The IT team spent the whole day __________ after the new update caused login issues.

    Answer

    putting out fires

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “put out fires”:

    A) To schedule meetings
    B) To fix urgent technical problems
    C) To delete old files
    D) To install new software

    Answer

    B) To fix urgent technical problems

    3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:

    “The developer spent the day solving sudden system crashes.” → Change the sentence using: put out fires

    Answer

    The developer spent the day putting out fires.

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  • Code Monkey

    🗓️ Idiom: Code Monkey (n)

    💬 Meaning

    • A programmer who writes code but has little input into decisions.
    • It can suggest someone doing simple or repetitive coding tasks.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • He left the job because he didn’t want to be just a code monkey.
    • Code monkeys often feel left out of big-picture planning.
    • This startup values creativity. They don’t treat developers like code monkeys.

    🏛️ Origin

    The phrase comes from tech slang. “Code” refers to programming, and “monkey” humorously suggests someone doing repetitive tasks. It can be used jokingly or critically, depending on the context.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    She wants to design software, not just work as a __________ doing small tasks.

    Answer

    code monkey

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “code monkey”:

    A) A software manager
    B) A highly creative programmer
    C) A developer doing basic or repetitive tasks
    D) A tech recruiter

    Answer

    C) A developer doing basic or repetitive tasks

    3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:

    “He was only given basic programming tasks with no creative control.” → Change the sentence using: code monkey

    Answer

    He was treated like a code monkey with no creative control.

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  • Go Pair-Shaped

    🗓️ Idiom: Go Pear-Shaped (v)

    💬 Meaning

    • To go badly or fail after starting well.
    • It means a plan or situation suddenly goes wrong.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • Everything was fine until the software update went pear-shaped.
    • The product launch went pear-shaped due to a server crash.
    • Their plan to expand quickly went pear-shaped when funding was cut.

    🏛️ Origin

    This idiom is British in origin and became common in the 20th century. The exact source is unclear, but “pear-shaped” refers to something that is no longer balanced or neat — like a situation that has gone wrong.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    The software rollout started smoothly, but everything __________ when the servers crashed.

    Answer

    went pear-shaped

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “go pear-shaped”:

    A) To improve suddenly
    B) To slow down on purpose
    C) To go wrong or fail unexpectedly
    D) To get more organized

    Answer

    C) To go wrong or fail unexpectedly

    3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:

    “The system update failed and caused unexpected problems.” → Change the sentence using: go pear-shaped

    Answer

    The system update went pear-shaped and caused unexpected problems.

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  • Learning Curve

    🗓️ Idiom: Learning Curve (n)

    💬 Meaning

    • The time and effort it takes to learn something new.
    • A steep learning curve means it’s hard to learn at first.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • There was a steep learning curve when I started using the new software.
    • Switching to a new system always comes with a learning curve.
    • The platform is easy to use and has a gentle learning curve.

    🏛️ Origin

    The idiom comes from graphs in education and business that show how learning improves over time. The shape of the “curve” shows whether something is easy or hard to learn.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    Learning the new project management tool had a steep __________.

    Answer

    learning curve

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “learning curve”:

    A) The cost of a training course
    B) How quickly someone learns something
    C) A type of graph in marketing
    D) The best way to teach others

    Answer

    B) How quickly someone learns something

    3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:

    “It took time and effort to learn the new accounting system.” → Change the sentence using: learning curve

    Answer

    The new accounting system had a steep learning curve.

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