4 More Business Idioms in American English

Have you ever been in a conversation with your American colleagues, and they throw out an expression that you don’t quite understand?

Like “throw a wrench into things”, or “run the gamut”?

In conversations, we Americans use a lot of idioms and chunks (or typical little expressions, if you prefer.)

Sometimes, you can guess the meaning of the idioms from context.

But if you can, it’s a good idea to learn the common business idioms, so that you can follow the conversation without missing a beat!

First, a little revision...

On Tuesday, you learned 5 everyday idioms from my conversation with Zachary, an American restaurant owner, taken from my upcoming course Understand Real American English:

1. To blow a tire
2. On your way to work
3. To live paycheck to paycheck
4. To set some aside for a rainy day
5. To throw a wrench into things

If you missed that episode, it’s at https://christinarebuffet.com/blog/idioms-in-american-english/ (And you’ll have the full transcript of the episode!)

Today, we’ll add 4 more business idioms to your English vocabulary.

Start by reading the extract from the conversation between Zach and me, to see if you can guess the meaning of the idiom.

Then, you’ll get the explanation!

1. To run the gamut

Zachary: Uh, our youngest student we ever had was 16. Our oldest was 63.

Christina: Okay. So, like, it's sort of runs the gamut of ages.

Zachary: Exactly, yeah. Um, and, uh, they come in ... uh, we teach them, uh, back of the house, which is kitchen.

“To run the gamut” means to include, express, or experience the full range of something.

Here are some real examples, taken from around the internet:

• The styles exhibited at the design show ran the gamut of 20th century design trends.
• Jay Leno's extensive car collection runs the gamut from turn-of-the-century buggies to high-octane modern sports cars.
• The University of Florida’s innovative history runs the gamut from the school’s inception in the 1800s to the present.

2. To work in the field

Zachary: And, um, we go through soups, stocks, sauces, knife skills. All the basic culinary things that you would need to get out and work in the field.

Christina: To be able to work, yeah.

“To work in the field” means to be on-site, in the real world, to get real experience, as opposed to classroom experience.

Here are some real examples, taken from around the internet:

• I do work in the field, which I then later process and develop into material for public display.
• He also assess health programs and provides support for associations working in the field in Africa
• Technical experts working in the field work well with public officials

3. You got a whole lot of stuff going on

Zachary: Um, and, uh, so they learn both aspects of a restaurant. Um, and, uh, in my life, I've found that's really important for the fact of, um, kitchens can get really stressed and overworked when you got a whole lot of stuff going on, and, um, you know...

Christina: 'Cause you've gotta, you've gotta manage, like, 500 things at once.

“You got a whole lot of stuff going on” means lots of things are happening at the same time. It can be a good thing, like at events with lots of activities. It can also be bad, like if you have lots of stressful tasks to manage at the same time.

Here are some real examples, taken from around the internet:

• It's just really hard when you've got a whole lot of stuff going on and only one or two people have shown up
• To celebrate the Museum's anniversary, we've got a whole lot of stuff going on.
• If you've got problems, generally you've got a whole lot of stuff going on that isn't healthy for the organization.

4. It’s part of the game

Christina: Yeah, it doesn't have to be money per se, it could be, you know, an exchange of services or ...

Zachary: Yeah, it doesn't matter to us. And we've had people that have come in and just walked out. So, it happens too.

Christina: It's part of the game. And all ...Okay.

Zachary: Exactly, it’s just part of the game.

“It’s part of the game” means that it’s a negative aspect that you must accept in a situation. For example, if you choose to live in Hawaii, the threat of volcanoes is part of the game.

Here are some real examples, taken from around the internet:

• In a job search, rejection is part of the game.
• Old Man Fitness: Injuries are just part of the game.
• Top entrepreneurs know that getting it wrong sometimes is simply part of the game.

What’s one more idiom in English that you’ve heard or read?

Share it with us in the comments! And tell us what it means, if you know!

To get the full video of my conversation with Zachary and a worksheet to test your comprehension, go to https://christinarebuffet.com/understand-real-american-english-friday-freebies-opt-in/