English Idioms about Negotiations

English Idioms about Negotiations

Hi English learners. Welcome to a new lesson. We will look at 10 English  idioms about negotiations.

1. Common ground
2. Change your mind
3. Drive/strike a hard bargain
4. Draw the line
5. Fall through
6. Give and take
7. Put/lay your cards on the table
8. Make up your mind
9. Meet someone halfway
10. Sitting on the fence

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Common ground

Meaning: refers to interests, aims, and opinions we share with other parties involved in the negotiation.

• The two parties in the negotiation managed to find some common ground despite their disputes and disagreements.
• The negotiation fell through because the two sides didn’t find common ground.

Change your mind

Meaning: to change your opinion or plan about something.

• The real estate agent tried to make his client change his mind, but he failed.
• If you change your mind about my offer, please let me know.

Drive/strike a hard bargain

Meaning: to argue fiercely in order to make the other side in the negotiation agree to your terms.

• Mark drove a hard bargain, so he clinched the deal in no time.
• Members of the union stroke a hard bargain demanding a raise.

Draw the line

Meaning: to set a limit on what you accept or allow.

• I am flexible when it comes to staying at work after working hours, but I draw the line at working at weekends.
• Simon decided to draw the line at £20,000.

Fall through

Meaning: a situation when something you’ve planned or arranged fails to happen.

• The deal we had with the supplier fell through, so I’m afraid we’ll have to get a new supplier.
• Our plans to renovate the old house fell through.

Give and take

Meaning: to be willing to accept what other sides in a negotiation want and give up something of what you want.

• If you want to succeed in this business, you’ll have to learn to give and take.
• There’s been a lot of give and take at the meeting.

Put/lay your cards on the table

Meaning: to be honest about your plans and intentions.

• I’ll lay my cards on the table; we can’t give you a full-time job, but we have some part-time jobs to offer you.
• Why don’t you put your cards on the table and tell us your final offer?

Make up your mind

Meaning: to make a decision after serious thinking about it.

• After he read the reviews carefully, Mark made up his mind and decided to hire that designer.
• I’m still trying to make up my mind on how much money to offer them for that project.

Meet someone halfway

Meaning: to compromise.

• I will accept your offer if you meet me halfway and lower the price.
• We are ready to compromise if we meet halfway on this.

Sit on the fence

Meaning: to remain neutral in negotiations.

• You need to decide who you will vote for. You can’t sit on the fence forever.
• If you don’t want to say your opinion you should just sit on the fence and mind your own business.

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