Business Cliches Quiz

Fill the blanks in these cliches you might have heard at an all-hands meeting.

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Last updated: September 4, 2018

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First submitted	March 27, 2010
Times taken	38,926
Average score	59.1%
Rating	3.67

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Cliche

Low-hanging fruit

Think outside the box

Eat the elephant one bite at a time

The ball is in your court

Take it with a grain of salt

First mover advantage

Open kimono

Hit the ground running

Cliche

Go the extra mile

Work smarter, not harder

At the end of the day

On the same page

Can't see the forest for the trees

Beat a dead horse

There is no "I" in team

Cliche

Push the envelope

Comparing apples to oranges

Touch base

Bleeding-edge technology

Put lipstick on a pig

Stick to your core competency

That dog will hunt

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32 Comments

Level ∞

Mar 6, 2013

Updated and expanded!

Level 23

Mar 19, 2013

Obviously by the fail score of 2, I lack experiencing any of these cliches from businesses.

Level 92

Mar 19, 2013

"On the same wavelength" is just as common, I think.

+10

Level 76

Mar 19, 2013

These are not really "business" clichés. Most of these are said by most people in all walks of life. Also, I have never heard "bleeding-edge". Don't you mean "cutting edge"?

Level 82

Mar 22, 2013

I've heard both.

Level 33

Sep 1, 2014

Surely "leading edge technology" if not "cutting edge technology".

Level 61

Apr 23, 2020

I agree that these aren't business-specific.

"Bleeding edge" is a real term derived from "cutting edge" or "leading edge". It refers to the idea that it can be a disadvantage to be an early adopter of a new technology, since it hasn't been properly tested yet. This means that the technology might be dangerous and accidentally harm its users, hence the "bleeding". Here's a Wikipedia link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bleeding_edge_technology

Level 31

Apr 24, 2013

Shouldn't it be "Can't see the forest through the trees"? Not "for the trees".

Level 73

Oct 10, 2013

The trees and the forest are the same thing, the forest is not beyond the trees, it is the trees. The phrase means that one is missing the bigger picture (the forest) by concentrating too much on the details (the trees).

Level 57

Apr 3, 2014

Technically if you are at the edge of a forest, there are some trees, then the rest of the forest will stretch beyond those trees. I've always heard it as "through the trees". You can't see the bigger picture (the forest), because you can't past/around/through the small things (trees).

Level 70

Jan 3, 2023

Literally, the expression is "can't see the forest for the trees." It doesn't matter what you think makes better sense, that's the expression. The fact that you're arguing which word works better actually proves the point of the saying though.

Level 83

Jun 19, 2014

Open Kimono? Never heard that before.

Level 55

Aug 20, 2014

Also, what the hell does it mean?

Level 50

Aug 20, 2014

I laughed out loud in a meeting the first time I heard this. Apparently it's fairly common. It just means (to use another cliche), lay all your cards on the table and share everything openly and freely with one another. You know.. like opening your kimono when you have nothing on underneath!

Level 78

Apr 23, 2020

Must be an Asian expression.

Level 73

Aug 13, 2017

First time I've heard it too

Level 74

Jul 10, 2014

I was walking the wrong road for base. I tried data, customer, first, but no touch. I also never heard bleeding-edge technology, only cutting. Would you accept cutting?

Level 69

Jan 12, 2018

How do you accept cutting edge, when they give you the word bleeding??? Also, although similar, bleeding edge is more cutting edge than cutting edge. There, crystal clear right?!?!

Level 74

Jan 12, 2015

Apples & pears is common too

Level 68

Jul 29, 2016

At least in Texas, the phrase is "that dog DON'T hunt"

Level 36

Feb 2, 2019

^ Here, here! Hurrah for Texas!

Level 69

Sep 6, 2016

For "base" I was thinking nouns: knowledge, customer, client, and user.

Level 93

Dec 9, 2017

why would anyone eat an elephant?

Level 85

Mar 12, 2021

Because kangaroos are much harder to catch. I can't believe I have to explain this.

Level 68

Apr 6, 2018

On the same wavelength??

Level 41

Apr 13, 2019

What does “That dog will hunt” mean?

Level 81

Oct 27, 2019

I've never had elephant but I did have whale bacon once. Wouldn't recommend it.

Level 75

Oct 27, 2019

Maybe broaden it to "put makeup on a pig" because I've definitely heard both; or, at least accept makeup as an option, since they do have the same effect.

Level 61

Apr 23, 2020

Please accept "early" for "first mover advantage".

Level 85

Mar 12, 2021

I've been in business for more than 40 years and have never heard of "open kimono" or "bleeding-edge technology". I should probably move my lemonade stand to a higher-traffic location.

Level 71

Dec 17, 2021

For "base," could you make the prompt "Let's _____ base"? Right now it feels like it's looking for a noun phrase. I tried "knowledge base."

Level 90

Jan 27, 2024

These kind of cliches are favoured by the worst sort of humans on Earth.

If anyone ever says to you “there’s no I in team” be sure to reply “yes, but there is a U in c*nt

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