Idioms are phrases that are used in everyday language giving a figurative rather than a literal meaning to something.

Read on to find out more...

Native speakers use these phrases more often than we realise.

You don't have to use them yourself, but it is important that you understand what they mean.

Here are 9 idioms that relate specifically to retail.

How many of these have you heard of?

The sky is the limit

"Our new online store has been so successful we feel the sky is the limit for what we can do!"

This means that absolutely anything is possible and there is no limit as to what can be achieved.

On the other side of the fence

"I know that is your opinion, but I'm looking at this from the other side of the fence and see things differently."

To look at the same situation but from a different perspective, hence having a different opinion.

On a shoestring

"We don't have a big budget for our Christmas decorations so we will need to work on a shoestring this year."

To be on a tight financial budget to achieve something.

Gone bust

"Unfortunately our coffee supplier has gone bust so we will need to find an alternative, and quickly!"

This means that a business has gone bankrupt.

Bad press

"The recent product recall was very bad press for us."

To receive negative media coverage. Previously newspapers were the only news outlet, hence the word 'press' in this idiom.

In the black

"Thanks to a good summer we remain in the black!"

To keep making a profit and not be in debt

In the red

"The investment that we made in new fixtures and fittings has put us temporarily in the red."

To be in debt

Put forward

"I would like to put forward a solution to the coffee supplier problem."

To offer something, usually an idea

Time will tell

"Only time will tell whether this solution is going to work in the long term."

Results will only be found out in the future

Do you have any questions?

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