English idioms about work

Each English idiom below comes with what it means and how other languages put the same idea. To see every language at once, open the side-by-side page for work.

  1. A lot on your plate

    To have a lot of work or problems to deal with at once.

    Elsewhere

  2. Not lift a finger

    To be very lazy and avoid work.

    Elsewhere

  3. Kill two birds with one stone

    To get two things done with a single action.

    Elsewhere

  4. Rack your brains

    To be stuck and unable to work something out.

    Elsewhere

  5. The icing on the cake

    Something extra that makes a good thing even better.

    Elsewhere

  6. That’s the crux of it

    That's the central point that everything else depends on.

    Elsewhere

  7. Even Homer nods

    Even the most skilled people sometimes make mistakes.

    Elsewhere

  8. A piece of cake

    Something is very easy to do.

    Elsewhere

  9. Kick the can down the road

    To keep putting something off instead of dealing with it.

    Elsewhere

  10. At a snail’s pace

    Very slowly.

    Elsewhere

  11. Throw in the towel

    To give up and admit defeat.

    Elsewhere

Phrases in bold with a red marker are written up. The rest don’t have their own page yet.