REVIEW FOR LESSONS 11-15

Greg: That sounds like a great idea. I'm ready to roll up my sleeves and get down to business!

Stan: I appreciate your team spirit! Donna, are you on board too?

Donna: Sure. Count me in.

Stan: Great. Let's get everybody else in the company excited about this plan too. I'll count on you two to rally the troops.

* c'mon - This casual expression is short for "come on" and here means "listen to me."

IDIOMS & EXPRESSIONS - LESSON 11

(to) work one's tail off to work very hard EXAMPLE: The software developers worked their tails off to get the new software package released before Christmas.

(to) call it quits to give up; to quit; to stop; to admit defeat EXAMPLE: When Borders announced they were building a new bookstore in town, the small book shop decided to call it quits.

(to) throw in the towel to give up; to surrender; to admit defeat EXAMPLE: After several years of trying to run a small business from his home, Patrick finally decided to throw in the towel. ORIGIN: This idiom comes from boxing. When a fighter was losing a match, his assistant would toss a towel into the ring to signal defeat and end the game. That towel was the same one used to wipe the sweat and blood off the boxer's face.

We've been down before, but we always come back fighting. everything is going to be okay; we've had trouble in the past too, and we managed to get over that EXAMPLE: We need to be optimistic about our future. We've been down before, but we always come back fighting.

track record a record of achievement or performances EXAMPLE: General Electric has a proven track record of making successful acquisitions.

(to) rest on one's laurels to believe that past success is enough to guarantee that the future will also be successful; to rely too much on reputation EXAMPLE: The CEO made several positive changes during his first two years with the company, but now people say he's just resting on his laurels. ORIGIN: In Ancient Roman times, a crown made of laurels (from the laurel tree) was a symbol of victory.

(to) turn around one's business to make a business profitable again; to go from not making profits to being profitable again EXAMPLE: The telecom company was able to turn around its business by developing a popular new line of services. (to) roll up one's sleeves see Lesson 10

(to) get down to business to start work; to begin discussing the important issues EXAMPLE: We could talk about last night's baseball game for hours, but let's get down to business and start the negotiation.

team spirit enthusiasm; enthusiasm about doing something for the group EXAMPLE: Jill is always organizing company trips and lunches. She's got a lot of team spirit