商务英语 Lesson 05《Speak Business Englis...
Lesson 5 IDIOMS 英文释义
- fast followers: a company that doesn't come up with new ideas or concepts first, but rather quickly copies those of other companies
- EXAMPLE: Many PC manufacturers don't spend much on R&D. They are fast followers, waiting for competitors to innovate and then quickly copying their products.
- cutting-edge: very modern; using the latest technologies
- EXAMPLE: Sony focuses on innovation and is known for its cutting-edge electronic goods.
- Why mess with success?: Why start doing things differently when the way we're doing them now is working?
- EXAMPLE: We could move our manufacturing plant to China, but we're doing very well manufacturing in the United States. Why mess with success?
- (to) get with the program: to pay attention to what's going on right now; to be alert to what's happening now
- EXAMPLE: Get with the program. Our competitors have all started to outsource their call centers to India to save money, while we're still paying a fortune here in the United States!
- cash cow: a product, service, or business division that generates a lot of cash for the company, without requiring much investment
- EXAMPLE: With strong sales every year and a great brand name, Mercedes is a cash cow for DaimlerChrysler.
- real dog: a bad product; a commercial failure
- EXAMPLE: In 1985, the Coca-Cola Company released New Coke. It was a real dog and was in stores for only a few months.
- me-too products: products that are extremely similar to another company's products; copies
- EXAMPLE: Procter & Gamble is a company famous for innovation. They rarely produce me-too products.
- (to) leapfrog one's competitors: to make a product that is technologically superior to competitors' products
- EXAMPLE: Logitech introduced a product that leapfrogged its competitors: a mouse that was both wireless and ergonomic.
- NOTE: Leapfrog is a popular children's game in which one child bends down and another jumps over him or her.
- for starters: as a first step; to begin with
- EXAMPLE: You want to do business in Russia? For starters, I'd recommend setting up an office in Moscow.
- (to) beef up: to improve; to add to
- EXAMPLE: Leave plenty of extra time at the airport. Ever since they beefed up security, it takes a long time to get through the lines.
- at a premium: at a high price; at a relatively high price
- EXAMPLE: When flat-screen televisions first came out, they were selling at a premium.
- (to) get buy-in (from): to get agreement or approval from
- EXAMPLE: To be an effective leader, you need to get buy-in for your decisions from employees throughout the organization.
- (to be) on the same page: to be in agreement; when everybody has the latest information on what's going on
- EXAMPLE: Before we start on the next phase of this project, let's have a meeting and make sure everybody's on the same page.
- NOTE: This expression is overused. You will likely hear it, but you may not want to use it.
