1. a foot in the door

1.站穩腳跟

 

to manage to enter an organization, a field of business, etc. that could bring you success

成功步入某個獲得成功的機構或商業領域

 

I always wanted to work for that company but it took me two years to get a foot in the door.

我一直想進那家公司工作，可是花了兩年時間才成功。

 

2. cash cow

2.搖錢樹

 

the part of a business that always makes a profit and that provides money for the rest of the business

一直盈利的某個部門，為公司的正常運轉提供經濟支持

 

The new product became the company’s cash cow.

這項新產品成了公司的搖錢樹。

 

3. too many chiefs, not enough Indians

3.指導者多，干活者少

 

used to describe a situation in which there are too many people telling other people what to do, and not enough people to do the work

用來描述這樣的情況：有太多人告訴別人怎么做，真正做事情的人太少

 

There are too many chiefs and not enough Indians in that company.

這家公司，指導者比干活的人都多。

4. eager beaver

4.做事勤奮的人

 

an enthusiastic person who works very hard

對工作充滿熱情，勤奮工作的人

 

George is an eager beaver and is certain to succeed in business.

喬治做事勤奮，做生意一定會成功。

 

5. a slice of the pie

5.分杯羹

 

a share of something such as money, profits, etc.

共享財富、利潤等

 

The company made big profits and the workers want a slice of the pie.

公司賺了大錢，員工都想跟著分杯羹。

 

6. go belly up

6.破產

 

to fail completely

完全倒閉

 

Last year the business went belly up after sales continued to fall.

這家公司銷售逐年下降，最終在去年破產了。

7. golden handshake

7.黃金握手

 

a large sum of money that is given to somebody when they leave their job, or to persuade them to leave their job

一大筆解雇費，以讓人離職

 

When Tom left the company he was given a golden handshake.

離開公司后，湯姆收到了一筆解雇費。

8. grease someone’s palm

8.給某人好處

 

to give somebody money in order to persuade them to do something dishonest

賄賂他人做壞事

 

There are rumours that the company had to grease someone’s palms to get that contract.

有傳言稱，該公司用了一些手段才得到那份合約。

 

9. hold the fort

9.堅守陣地

 

to have the responsibility for something or care of somebody while other people are away or out

他人離去時，對某事有責任或有義務照顧某人

 

While the boss is out of the office, I’ll have to hold the fort.

老板不在，我必須堅守陣地。

 

10. keep head above water

10.不欠債

 

to deal with a difficult situation, especially one in which you have financial problems, and just manage to survive

極度艱難的狀態，特別是經濟方面的問題，只能勉強度日

 

Business is bad. I’m not sure how much longer we’ll be able to keep our heads above water.

生意不怎么好，我不知道日子還能勉強維持多久。

 

11. red tape

11.繁文縟節

 

official rules that seem more complicated than necessary and prevent things from being done quickly

不必要的繁瑣條例

 

You have to go through endless red tape to start up a business.

要想開始創業，你得忍受一大堆繁文縟節。

 

12. sell ice to Eskimos

12.把冰賣給愛斯基摩人

 

to persuade people to go against their best interests or to accept something unnecessary or preposterous.

說服人們違背自身利益接受不必要的或荒謬的條件

 

That salesman is such a smooth talker, he could sell ice to Eskimos.

那個推銷員能說會道，他能把冰賣給愛斯基摩人。

13. sleeping partner

13.隱名股東

 

a person who has put money into a business company but who is not actually involved in running it

不參與實際業務的投資人

 

Tom found a sleeping partner to invest money in his business.

湯姆找到了一位隱名股東投資生意。

14. walking papers

14.免職書

 

the letter or notice dismissing somebody from a job

解雇某人的書信或通知

 

Helen was given her walking papers yesterday.

海倫昨天收到了解雇書。

 

15. a dead duck

15.注定失敗之事

 

a plan, an event, etc. that has failed or is certain to fail and that is therefore not worth discussing

計劃或事件，已失敗或注定要失敗，沒有繼續討論的必要

 

The project was a dead duck from the start due to a lack of funding.

由于缺乏資金，該計劃從開始便注定會流產。

 

（來源：滬江英語）