cut to the chase 切入重點

cut to the chase

Sl. to focus on what is important; to abandon the preliminaries and deal with the major points. All right, let's stop the idle chatter and cut to the chase. After a few introductory comments, we cut to the chase and began negotiating.

off the bat 馬上

(right) off the bat  (American & Australian)

immediately I could tell right off the bat there was something different about this man.

keep your cards close to your chest 口風很緊

keep/play your cards close to your chest

to not tell anyone what you plan to do I never know what Martin's next move will be. He plays his cards close to his chest.

hang in the balance 前途未卜 懸而未決

hang in the balance

to depend on something for success or continued existence With thousands of jobs hanging in the balance, there's a lot of competition to attract new factories.

where the rubber meets the road 在最重要的階段

where the rubber meets the road

Fig. at the point in a process where there are challenges, issues, or problems. Now we have spelled out the main area of dissent. This is where the rubber meets the road.

take something in your stride 應付自如

take something in your stride  (British, American & Australian) also take something in stride (American)

to calmly and easily deal with something unpleasant or difficult and not let it affect what you are doing There's a lot of pressure at work but she seems to take it all in her stride. A certain amount of criticism comes with the job and you have to learn to take it in stride.

cut through the noise 消除雜音

cut through the noise
消除雜音

cut through something 釐清

cut through something

to make clear something that has been made difficult to understand She cut through all the political talk and outlined what was wrong and what could be done to fix it.

game,set,match 勝負已出

Game. Set. Match. 
This is usually heard at the end of a tennis match when play has finished and a winner has been decided. 
It is also used when something has been resolved conclusively or without doubt.

be sacrificed on the altar of something 為了某種理由而被犧牲

be sacrificed on the altar of something   (formal)

to be destroyed by an activity, system or belief that is bad but more important or more powerful Service and quality have been sacrificed on the altar of profit.

pipe dream 白日夢 空思幻想

pipe dream

Fig. a wish or an idea that is impossible to achieve or carry out. (From the dreams or visions induced by the smoking of an opium pipe.)Going to the West Indies is a pipe dream. We'll never have enough money. Your hopes of winning a lot of money are just a silly pipe dream.

down the line 在將來 在以後

down the line

if an event is a particular period of time down the line, it will not happen until that period of time has passed We'll probably want kids too but that's a few years down the line.

get ahead of oneself 說得太早或做得太早 杞人憂天

get ahead of oneself

Fig. [for someone] to do or say something sooner than it ought to be done so that the proper explanation or preparations have not been made. I have to stick to my notes or I will get ahead of myself in my lecture. When he bought a new little bicycle before the baby was born, he was getting ahead of himself.

run a tight ship 紀律嚴謹的

run a tight ship and run a taut ship

to run a ship or an organization in an orderly and disciplined manner. (Taut and tight mean the same thing. Taut is correct nautical use.)The new office manager really runs a tight ship. Captain Jones is known for running a taut ship.

call someone out 挑戰

call someone out

to challenge someone to a fight. Wilbur wanted to call him out, but thought better of it. Why did you call out that guy? He used to be a prizefighter!

call people names 罵髒話

call someone names

to call someone by an abusive or insulting name. Billy cried when the other kids called him names. John was punished for calling his teacher names.

put it into context 仔細想想

If someone asks you to put something into context then it means put it into a way that they can understand in order for them to explain it to you.

privy to something 去探聽屬於秘密的事情

privy to something

Fig. knowledgeable about something secret or private. The reporter became privy to the senator's evil plan. Why are you privy to this secret information?

STEM worker 集科學'科技'工程'數學於一身

Who is a STEM Worker?

 science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) occupation

dust yourself off 準備再出發

dust yourself off

to prepare yourself to continue doing something you unexpectedly stopped doing Everyone wonders if the nation can dust itself off after the disaster.

a high name id 高知名度

pull off 努力做到

pull something off 

1. Inf. to manage to make something happen. Yes, I can pull it off. Do you think you can pull off this deal?

2. and pull something off (of) someone or something Lit. to tug or drag something off someone or something else. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) Sam pulled the covers off the bed and fell into it, dead tired. He pulled off his clothes and stepped into the shower.

call a spade a spade 有話直說

call a spade a spade

Fig. to call something by its right name; to speak frankly about something, even if it is unpleasant. (Considered offensive by some. Use only with discretion.) Well, I believe it's time to call a spade a spade. We are just avoiding the issue. Let's call a spade a spade. The man is a liar.

dealt a bad hand 莫可奈何 無奈

If you get 'dealt a bad hand' it means you find yourself in unfavourable circumstances due to something you can't control.

wear more than one hat 肩負多重責任

wear more than one hat and wear two hats

Fig. to have more than one set of responsibilities; to hold more than one office. The mayor is also the police chief. She wears more than one hat. I have too much to do to wear more than one hat. He wears two hats; he's both CEO and chairman of the board.

put the pedal to the metal 把油門踩到最大

put the pedal to the metal

Sl. to press a car's accelerator to the floor; to drive very fast. Let's go, man. Put the pedal to the metal. Put the pedal to the metal, and we'll make up some lost time.

just now 這陣子

just now

Only a moment ago.