A cowboy outfit is a business that cheats and deceives its customers by providing a very bad service and taking money for it.

Examples of use:

1. Don't book a flight with that airline; they're a cowboy outfit. The plane was filthy, the food was horrible and they lost my luggage.

2. Their work was poor quality and they were unreliable – what a cowboy outfit!

3. The local building company is a cowboy outfit.

Can you write a sentence using this expression?

Have you paid for goods or services from a cowboy outfit?

Image © Emilio Labrador

To land a plum job means to get a very good job.

If you land a plum job you get a job that many people would love to have.

Examples of use:

1. With this excellent CV you're sure to land a plum job!

2. He landed a plum job by being in the right place at the right time.

3. If you want to land a plum job you need good qualifications and lots of experience.

CV is an abbreviation of curriculum vitae (noun) – a summary of a person's qualifications and work experience.

Can you use this expression in a sentence?

Do you know someone who has a plum job?

Image © Pamela Heywood

To talk turkey is to talk seriously and openly about something, especially something that relates to business.

Examples of use:

1. OK, let's talk turkey and reach an agreement about the new employment contract.

2. It's time for us to talk turkey.

3. The Prime Minister is keen to talk turkey.

The origins of this idiom are not clear, but some people think it might have originated in America, from the time of the Pilgrim Fathers.

According to Robert Shook, in his book The Book of Why (1983, Hammond), the Pilgrim Fathers often wanted turkeys (for eating) when they traded with the American Indians and the Indians would greet them with the words 'You come to talk turkey?'

Can you use this expression in a sentence?

Image © Alan Vernon

To be full of beans means to be in high spirits: to be full of energy, health and enthusiasm.

Examples of use:

a) My children are always full of beans when they get up in the morning.

b) You're full of beans today!

Here are some more idioms based on beans:

1. To spill the beans is to reveal a secret or private information.

Example of use: My friend has spilt the beans and told everyone I work with that I have a new job.

2. Not to have a bean means to be penniless, have no money at all.

Example of use: I have spent all my money and now I don't have a bean.

Image © Stuti Sakhalkar

A big fish in a small pond is someone who is important and influential in a small place or organization.

Examples of use:

1. You're not so special: you're just a big fish in a small pond!

2. I was a big fish in a small pond where I used to work; but in my new job nobody even knows my name.

3. As the village doctor he was a big fish in a small pond.

More fish idioms:

a big fish - a very important person

a small fish – an unimportant person

a queer fish – a strange or odd person

a cold fish – a cold person, showing no feelings or emotion

Do you know someone who is a big fish in a small pond? Can you write a sentence about that person?

Image © Mike Johnston

A skeleton in the cupboard is something that might bring shame or embarrassment to a family or person if other people knew about it.

Examples of use:

1. Does your family have a skeleton in the cupboard?

2. Politicians should not have any skeletons in their cupboards.

2. Did you hear about Mr Short's skeleton in the cupboard? He was sent to prison for fraud in 1984.

Skeleton in the cupboard is used in British and Australian English: skeleton in the closet is more common in American English.

More skeleton idioms:

• a skeleton key is a key that can open many different locks.

• a skeleton at the feast is a reminder of a sad or troublesome past event at a happy event or celebration.

Image © Ed Bierman

A bigwig is a very important person.

Informal English.

In Britain and France during the 17th and 18th centuries, large wigs were worn by important men and the aristocracy.  

Examples of use:

1. He thinks he's a bigwig.

2. A government bigwig will be visiting us next week.  

wig (noun) – a covering of false hair worn on the head.

aristocracy (noun) – the highest social class.  

Can you write a sentence using this word?

Image © Elvert Barnes

A nest egg is an amount of money saved for the future.

Examples of use:

1. I have been saving regularly and creating a nest egg for my retirement.

2. We have £20,000 saved as our nest egg.

3. Our house is our nest egg.

4. We have invested part of our nest egg in an apartment in Dubai.  

Can you use this expression in a sentence?

Do you have a nest egg?  

Image © Jaroslaw Pocztarski

To be in a jam means to be in a lot of trouble or in great difficulty.

Examples of use:

1. I'm in a jam. I'm going on holiday to Spain tomorrow but I can't find my passport anywhere.

2. He's in a jam because he's lost his wallet and has no money to get home.  

Jam (noun) is a sweet sticky spread made from fruit, that you put on bread or toast.  

Can you use this expression in a sentence?

Have you ever been in a jam?  

Image © snowpea&bokchoi

If something is not worth a fig it is worth nothing at all: it has no value.

Example of use:

We're not interested in what that politician says – his opinion is not worth a fig.  

If you don't give a fig, you don't care at all

Example of use:

I don't give a fig what you say.  

Can you write a sentence using this expression?

Think of something that is not worth a fig.      

Image © Adam Raoof