shop (redirected from Talking shop)

*bull in a china shop

Prov. a very clumsy creature in a delicate situation. (*Typically: as awkward as ~; like ~.) I never know what to say at a funeral. I feel like a bull in a china shop, trampling on feelings without even meaning to. Lester felt like a bull in a china shop; reaching for an orange, he made several elaborate pyramids of fruit tumble down.

See also: bull, china

close up shop

Fig. to quit working, for the day or forever. (Fixed order.) It's five o'clock. Time to close up shop. I can't make any money in this town. The time has come to close up shop and move to another town.

See also: close, up

go window-shopping

to go about looking at goods in store windows without actually buying anything. The office workers go window-shopping on their lunch hour, looking for things to buy when they get paid. Joan said she was just going window-shopping, but she bought a new coat.

Keep your shop and your shop will keep you.

Prov. If you work hard at running your business, then your business will always make enough of a profit to support you. When Grandpa turned his hardware store over to me, he said, "It's hard work, but it's a good living. Keep the shop and the shop will keep you."

See also: and, keep

set up shop somewhere

to establish one's place of work somewhere. Mary set up shop in a small office building on Oak Street. The police officer said, "You can't set up shop right here on the sidewalk!"

See also: set, somewhere, up

shop around (for something)

to shop at different stores to find what you want at the best price. I've been shopping around for a new car, but they are all priced too high. You can find a bargain, but you'll have to shop around.

See also: around

shopping list 

1. Lit. a list of things one needs to buy. I made up a shopping list for groceries that we are out of. Don't forget to take the shopping list with you to the store.

2. Fig. a list of things, especially questions or things one wants. I have a shopping list of absolute musts. He showed up for the interview with a shopping list so long that it took two pages.

See also: list

talk shop

to talk about business or work matters at a social event (where such talk is out of place). All right, everyone, we're not here to talk shop. Let's have a good time. Mary and Jane stood by the punch bowl, talking shop.

See also: talk

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a knocking shop  (British very informal) also a knock-shop (Australian very informal)

a place where men pay to have sex with women People say it's a knocking shop but I've never seen anything going on.

See also: knock

be all over the shop  (British informal) also be all over the lot (American informal)

1. to be scattered in a lot of different places What have you been doing with your clothes? They're all over the shop!

2. to be confused and badly organized I've been so unimpressed by their campaign. They're all over the shop. How can I tell what's the best deal when lending rates are all over the lot?

be like a bull in a china shop

to often drop or break things because you move awkwardly or roughly Rob's like a bull in a china shop - don't let him near those plants. She's like a bull in a china shop when it comes to dealing with people's feelings. (= behaves in a way that offends people)

See also: bull, china, like

shut up shop  (British & Australian) also close up shop (mainly American)

to stop doing business, either temporarily or permanently They were forced to shut up shop because they weren't getting enough customers.

See be all over the shop, talk shop

See also: shut, up

talk shop

if people who work together talk shop, they talk about their work when they are not at work Even when they go out in the evening, they just talk shop all the time.

See also: talk

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close up shop also shut up shop

to stop doing business Poulin says high taxes and global competition have forced him to close up shop.

Opposite of: set up shop

See also: close, up

set up shop

to establish a business or an organization Some companies have set up shop in other countries, like China. UN agencies have set up shop all over the world.

Opposite of: close up shop

See also: set, up

shop around

to compare the price and quality of similar items before buying one You should certainly shop around before buying a new computer.

See also: around

talk shop

to talk about work when not working Two New York Yankee pitchers will be there to sign autographs and talk shop with fans.

See also: talk