On today’s podcast, you’ll learn 8 more colloquial expressions so that you can sound more like a native speaker.

8 common colloquial expressions – Part 9

1. To get up to speed/bring (someone) up to speed/date
   To bring (something) up to speed = cause it to be working at its highest level of efficiency.
2. to be on tenterhooks = to wait with bated breath, to wait nervously for something to happen.
   What is a tenterhook? A tenterhook is a sharp hook that fastens cloth to a tenter, a frame on which cloth is stretched, like a tent, for even drying to prevent shrinkage. The phrase compares the tenseness of the fabric to the feeling of being very tense. (source: Merriam Webster)
3. To give (someone) a heads up – When you tell someone about something before it happens, especially of future difficulty, trouble, or danger.
4. To think outside the box = blue space thinking / lateral thinking – to think imaginatively using new ideas instead of traditional or expected ideas
5. To be snowed under = to be up to your ears/eyes/neck in work (busy, tied up, knee-deep, rushed off your feet)
6. To go the extra mile = to go above and beyond (the call of duty) – to make more effort than is expected of you
7. The bottom line – the most important factor that you have to consider. / the total amount of money that a company has made or lost over a particular period of time.
   The bottom line in a business deal is the least a person is willing to accept.
8. In a nutshell = in a word = in short, in the fewest possible words. To sum up. To make a long story short.

…and now it’s your turn to practise your English.
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In next week’s episode: Talking about money and negotiating price

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The music in this podcast is by Pitx. The track is called ‘See You Later’