Essential Business English Idioms for Negotiations and Deadlines (+ Quiz)

Q: What does "backed into a corner" mean in business?

You feel forced to choose something because there is pressure or not enough time. Example: I felt backed into a corner and agreed to present without the final numbers.

Q: Is "up against it" the same as "under the gun"?

Both mean heavy time pressure. Up against it is common in UK and US. Under the gun is very common in American English. Example: We are under the gun to deliver by 9 a.m.

Q: In a jam vs in a bind — what’s the difference?

Both mean a difficult situation. In a jam sounds a bit more informal. In a bind sounds slightly more formal. Example: We are in a bind because two engineers are out.

Q: Is "throw in the towel" too informal for business?

It is idiomatic but acceptable in most professional conversations and internal emails. For formal reports, use discontinue, pull the plug, or wind down. Example: If funding falls through, we may need to pull the plug.

Q: What does "between a rock and a hard place" mean?

It means facing two bad options with no easy solution. Example: We are between a rock and a hard place — raise prices and risk churn, or hold prices and miss targets.

Q: Can I use these idioms in emails to clients?

Yes, but match the tone. With conservative clients, use clearer non-idiomatic equivalents such as under time pressure, facing constraints, next step is yours.

Q: Are these idioms acceptable in presentations?

Yes, if your audience is strong in English and your slides stay concise. For mixed levels, show the idiom and add a short plain meaning. If you are not sure, use the plain meaning only.

Erin West
5 days ago
6 min read

Business English idioms quiz image with the sentence “He felt _____ into a corner and agreed to work overtime” and multiple-choice answers. Learn common workplace idioms for pressure, negotiations, and deadlines.

Deadlines, managers, and clients can all put you under pressure at work. The way you describe these situations in English makes a big difference. Using the right Business English idioms helps you sound clear, confident, and natural in meetings and emails. In this lesson, we’ll look at a few common idioms native speakers use when they feel stuck or forced into a tough spot.

Today’s Challenge

It is 5:40 p.m. A message appears in the team chat.

Client moved the demo to 9 a.m.

We need one person to stay late and test the app.

No one volunteers. Your teammate messages you: I can’t say no.

He felt _____ into a corner and agreed to work overtime.

A) thrown

B) backed

C) stuck

D) fallen

Choose the correct option and listen to the sentence.

Well done. Let's review the meaning.

BACKED INTO A CORNER

idiom

in a situation with almost no choice because of pressure from other people or lack of time

I felt backed into a corner, so I said yes.

She felt backed into a corner and apologized, even though it wasn’t her fault.

I felt backed into a corner when my boss asked me to work on Sunday — I couldn’t say no.

He felt backed into a corner when everyone else voted yes, so he did the same.

That's right! The correct answer is B) backed.

Learn More Business English Idioms for Negotiations and Deadlines

Two people in a discussion, one gesturing with hands. They're seated at a table. The man wears a gray suit and red polka dot tie. Bright setting.

In business English, there are several common idioms that professionals use to describe situations where they feel pressured at work during negotiations. Learning these workplace English idioms will help you sound more confident in professional communication.

Let’s look at some useful idioms that describe pressure, deadlines, and tough choices in business.

What does "bend over backwards" mean?

BEND OVER BACKWARDS

idiom

to make a big extra effort to help someone or make them happy, even if it’s not easy for you

The manager bent over backwards to make sure the client was satisfied.

She always bends over backwards to help new colleagues feel welcome.

We bent over backwards to meet the deadline, working nights and weekends.

What does "up against it" mean?

UP AGAINST IT

idiom

being in a situation with serious problems, pressure, or not enough time

We’re really up against it — the report is due tomorrow.

She was up against it in the meeting, answering tough questions from the client.

The team felt up against it when two people called in sick.

What does "the ball is in your court" mean?

THE BALL IS IN YOUR/ THEIR COURT

idiom

it is your turn to make a decision or take action

I sent her the contract. Now the ball is in her court.

He asked me for advice, and I gave it. The ball is in his court now.

We made our offer, so the ball is in their court.

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What does "in a jam" mean? What does "in a bind" mean?

IN A BIND/ IN A JAM

idiom

in a difficult situation

I was in a jam when my car broke down on the way to work.

She’s in a bind because she promised to help two people at the same time.

We’re in a jam — the project is due tomorrow, but we’re not ready.

What does "throw in the towel" mean?

THROW IN THE TOWEL

idiom

to stop trying because you know you cannot win or succeed, to give up during a negotiation

The politician threw in the towel after losing support from his own party.

Our startup couldn’t get more investors, so we had to throw in the towel.

He tried to quit smoking many times, but last year he threw in the towel.

What does "between a rock and a hard place" mean?

BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE

idiom

stuck between two bad options

I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place — if I quit my job, I lose money, but if I stay, I stay unhappy.

The manager is stuck between a rock and a hard place: raise prices and lose customers, or keep prices low and lose money.

He was caught between a rock and a hard place — tell the truth and upset his boss, or stay quiet and feel guilty.

What does "under the gun" mean?

UNDER THE GUN

idiom

to be under a lot of pressure

I’ve been under the gun all week trying to finish this report before Friday.

We’re really under the gun to deliver the presentation by tomorrow morning.

The team was under the gun after the client moved the deadline up by two days.

What does "buy time" mean?

BUY TIME

idiom

to gain extra time before you have to make a decision, finish a task, or face a problem

I asked a few extra questions to buy some time before giving my answer.

The manager told a joke to buy time while the team fixed the slideshow.

She called another meeting to buy time and think about the problem.

What does "move the goalposts" mean?

MOVE THE GOALPOSTS

idiom

to change the rules, requirements, or expectations after someone has already started working toward them, making it harder for that person to reach the goal

It’s hard to plan anything when they keep moving the goalposts.

I thought I met all the requirements, but they moved the goalposts again.

Changing the budget now would be like moving the goalposts — the team’s work is already done.

Explore more: 7 Business English Idioms About Innovation and Creativity (With Easy Definitions & Quiz)

Practice: Test Your Knowledge of Business Idioms

Type the correct answer in each question and listen to the sentence to check how native speakers use these idioms in real business situations.

Need more practice? Check out Business English Phrasal Verbs for Work (with quiz).

https://www.realbusinessenglish.com/post/business-english-phrasal-verbs-for-work-show-up-set-up-kick-off-push-back-look-into-turn-in-w

ANSWER KEY - QUIZ

We’re in a jam — two key people are out sick, and the deadline's right around the corner.

It feels like they keep moving the goalposts — every time we meet one requirement, they add another.

We’re really up against it this week — the board wants the presentation ready by Thursday, and we’re still waiting on data from Finance.

We’ve bent over backwards to meet every change the client requested — I think it’s time they commit to a final version.

If the client doesn’t approve the next phase, we may have to throw in the towel on this project — it’s just not working financially.

FAQ: Business English Idioms for Negotiations and Deadlines

What does "backed into a corner" mean in business?

It means you feel forced to choose something because there is pressure or not enough time. You don’t have a good way out.

Example: I felt backed into a corner and agreed to present without the final numbers.

Is "up against it" the same as "under the gun"?

They both mean heavy time pressure. Up against it is common in both UK/US; under the gun is especially common in American English.

Example: We’re under the gun to deliver by 9 a.m.

"Bend over backward" or "bend over backwards" — which is correct?

Both are correct. American English often uses bend over backward (singular), while British English often uses backwards.

Example: The team bent over backward to meet last-minute changes.

In a jam vs in a bind — what’s the difference?

Both mean a difficult situation. In a jam can sound a bit more informal; in a bind can sound slightly more formal.

Example: We’re in a bind because two engineers are out.

What does "move the goalposts" mean in negotiations?

It means changing the rules or requirements after work has already started, making success harder.

Example: They moved the goalposts by adding a new compliance step.

Is "throw in the towel" too informal for business?

It’s idiomatic but acceptable in most professional conversations and internal emails. For formal reports, try alternatives like discontinue, pull the plug, or wind down.

Example: If funding falls through, we may need to pull the plug.

What does "between a rock and a hard place" mean?

It means facing two bad options with no easy solution.

Example: We’re between a rock and a hard place — raise prices and risk churn, or hold prices and miss our targets.

Can I use these idioms in emails to clients?

Yes, but match the tone. With conservative clients, choose clearer, non-idiomatic equivalents (under time pressure, facing constraints, next step is yours).

What are formal alternatives to these idioms?

Backed into a corner → under pressure, with limited options
Under the gun / up against it → under time pressure, on a tight timeline
Move the goalposts → change the requirements, revise the scope
Throw in the towel → discontinue, cease efforts, terminate the project

Are these idioms acceptable in presentations?

Yes—if your audience is strong in English and your slides are short. For mixed levels, show the idiom and add a simple meaning. Tip: If you’re not sure about your audience, use the plain meaning only.

Which idioms are best for describing last-minute deadline pressure?

Under the gun, up against it, in a jam, racing the clock, on a tight timeline.

Example: We’re racing the clock to finalize the deck.

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