Speaking English Like a Native (to) cut someone some slack to be forgiving; to not judge someone too harshly EXAMPLE: Cut Gretchen some slack for failing to finish the report on time. She's going through a bitter divorce.
(to) run a tight ship to run something effectively and efficiently EXAMPLE: Jack Welch is known as one of the greatest business leaders ever. He ran a tight ship while he was the CEO of General Electric.
(to) turn a blind eye to something to ignore a problem or an issue; to refuse to recognize EXAMPLE: Every September when the school year starts, pens and paper disappear from our company's supply room. We can no longer turn a blind eye
to this. Shape up or ship out! improve your behaviour or leave; if you don't improve your performance, you're going to get fired EXAMPLE: Martin finally had enough of Todd's negative attitude. " Shape up
or ship out!" he told Todd. ORIGIN: This expression was first used in the U.S. military during World War Two, meaning: you'd better follow regulations and behave yourself ("shape up"), or you're going to be sent overseas to a war zone (" ship out").
on the dot sharp; at an exact time EXAMPLE: The videoconference with our Tokyo office will start at 10 a.m. on
the dot.
Telling Somebody Off, Part 2: Polar English
Speaking Business
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English Like a Native