| No. | Item | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | add fuel to the fire | make a bad situation worse |
| 2. | ahead of the curve | more advanced than others |
| 3. | all hands on deck | everyone must help now |
| 4. | at the end of the day | ultimately; when all is considered |
| 5. | back to the drawing board | start over with a new plan |
| 6. | bark up the wrong tree | pursue the wrong idea |
| 7. | beat the clock | finish before time runs out |
| 8. | buy some time | gain extra time temporarily |
| 9. | call the shots | be in charge of decisions |
| 10. | change gears | switch approach or focus |
| 11. | circle back | return to a topic later |
| 12. | clear the air | resolve misunderstandings openly |
| 13. | close the loop | finish by confirming completion |
| 14. | connect the dots | see the overall pattern |
| 15. | crunch time | period of intense work |
| 16. | cut to the chase | get to the main point |
| 17. | divide and conquer | split work to succeed |
| 18. | dot the i’s and cross the t’s | check every detail carefully |
| 19. | down to the wire | very close to the deadline |
| 20. | draw a line in the sand | set a firm limit |
| 21. | drill down | examine details more closely |
| 22. | drive it home | make the point clearly |
| 23. | drop the ball | make a mistake or fail |
| 24. | elephant in the room | obvious issue being ignored |
| 25. | fall through the cracks | be missed or neglected |
| 26. | front and center | most important and visible |
| 27. | game plan | strategy for achieving goals |
| 28. | get back on track | return to the right path |
| 29. | get off track | lose focus or direction |
| 30. | get on board | agree to join or support |
| 31. | get the ball rolling | start the discussion or work |
| 32. | get the wheels in motion | start a process underway |
| 33. | get to the bottom of it | find the real cause |
| 34. | get your ducks in a row | organize things properly |
| 35. | hand it off | transfer work to someone else |
| 36. | hit a wall | suddenly stop making progress |
| 37. | hit the ground running | start quickly and effectively |
| 38. | hold the line | maintain position or standards |
| 39. | hold your feet to the fire | demand accountability |
| 40. | in the driver’s seat | in control of the situation |
| 41. | in the loop | kept informed about updates |
| 42. | in the nick of time | just before it is too late |
| 43. | iron out the details | resolve small problems |
| 44. | keep a lid on it | prevent it from escalating |
| 45. | keep it on track | stay focused and on schedule |
| 46. | keep it under wraps | keep it secret for now |
| 47. | keep the wheels turning | maintain progress and momentum |
| 48. | keep your cards close | not reveal your plans |
| 49. | keep your eye on the ball | stay focused on the goal |
| 50. | kick the can down the road | delay dealing with a problem |
| 51. | lay the groundwork | prepare the foundation |
| 52. | lead the charge | be the first to act |
| 53. | leave no stone unturned | search thoroughly for answers |
| 54. | let the cat out of the bag | reveal a secret accidentally |
| 55. | lost in the shuffle | overlooked amid activity |
| 56. | low-hanging fruit | easy wins or quick tasks |
| 57. | make it happen | ensure it gets done |
| 58. | miss the mark | fail to achieve the goal |
| 59. | move the needle | make noticeable progress |
| 60. | on the back burner | lower priority for now |
| 61. | on the radar | noticed and being considered |
| 62. | on the same page | in agreement or understanding |
| 63. | open a can of worms | create many new problems |
| 64. | own it | take responsibility for it |
| 65. | park it | set aside for later |
| 66. | pass the baton | hand over responsibility |
| 67. | pitch in | help contribute effort |
| 68. | pull together | work cooperatively as a team |
| 69. | pull your weight | do your fair share |
| 70. | push the envelope | go beyond usual limits |
| 71. | put a pin in it | pause the topic for now |
| 72. | put it to bed | finish and settle the issue |
| 73. | raise a red flag | signal a potential problem |
| 74. | raise the bar | set higher standards |
| 75. | read between the lines | infer the hidden meaning |
| 76. | right the ship | restore control and direction |
| 77. | rob Peter to pay Paul | solve one issue by harming another |
| 78. | row in the same direction | work toward the same goal |
| 79. | run it up the flagpole | test an idea for reactions |
| 80. | run out of steam | lose energy or momentum |
| 81. | set the tone | establish the mood or standard |
| 82. | sing from the same hymn sheet | say the same thing consistently |
| 83. | smooth things over | reduce conflict or tension |
| 84. | spin your wheels | work without making progress |
| 85. | stall for time | delay to gain time |
| 86. | stay the course | continue with the current plan |
| 87. | step up | take initiative or responsibility |
| 88. | strike while the iron is hot | act while conditions are good |
| 89. | table it | postpone discussion until later |
| 90. | take a deep dive | an in-depth examination |
| 91. | take a step back | pause to reassess the situation |
| 92. | take it offline | discuss separately after the meeting |
| 93. | take the lead | assume responsibility and direction |
| 94. | think outside the box | be creative and unconventional |
| 95. | too many cooks | too many people complicate things |
| 96. | touch base | make brief contact or check in |
| 97. | under the gun | under pressure to deliver |
| 98. | walk the talk | do what you promise |
| 99. | work out the kinks | fix minor issues |
| 100. | zoom out | look at the bigger picture |
