Tag: softskills

To eighty-six something means to cancel, remove, or get rid of it. The phrase originated in restaurants and bars, where item 86 on a menu was out of stock or unavailable. It now means to eliminate, reject, or indicate something is no longer available.

At the drop of a hat means instantly, immediately, or without any hesitation. The phrase suggests something happening as quickly as a hat falling to the ground - it describes doing something without delay or requiring minimal provocation to begin.

A baker's dozen is 13 items - one more than a regular dozen of 12. This tradition originated from medieval bakers who would add an extra loaf to avoid legal penalties for selling underweight goods, ensuring customers received fair value for their purchase.

Bite your tongue means to stop yourself from speaking or to remain silent. It suggests holding back words that might cause trouble - literally or figuratively stopping yourself from saying something inappropriate, offensive, or ill-timed.

Cry wolf refers to raising a false alarm or making fake complaints, from Aesop's fable about a shepherd boy who repeatedly falsely claimed a wolf was attacking his sheep. When a real wolf finally appeared, nobody believed him - the idiom describes someone who loses credibility by lying or exaggerating.

A dead ringer refers to someone or something that looks exactly like another - an exact duplicate or look-alike. The term comes from horse racing, where a ringer was a horse substituted for another to deceive, and dead meant absolutely or completely.

A 'dry run' is a rehearsal or practice session where you go through the motions without actual consequences. It allows you to test procedures and identify potential problems before the real event.

'Getting your walking papers' is an idiom that means being fired or dismissed from a job. The phrase suggests you're being told to walk away from your position.

'Down to the wire' means something continues until the very last possible moment before a deadline. The phrase originates from horse racing where the wire marked the finish line.