golden

a golden boy/girl

someone who is successful and admired. Henman is the golden boy of British tennis this season. (often + of)

See also: boy, girl

golden handcuffs

financial arrangements given by a company to an important employee in order to influence them to stay with the company. Share options are offered to top executives as golden handcuffs.

a golden handshake

a large sum of money which is given to someone when they leave a company, especially if they are forced to leave. The manager got early retirement and a £600,000 golden handshake when the company was restructured.

a golden oldie

a record that was very popular in the past and that people still know and like today. I listen to the Sunday morning show when they play all the golden oldies.

a golden parachute

if an important manager in a company has a golden parachute, the company agrees to give them a very large sum of money if they lose their job. He insisted on a substantial golden parachute as part of the package before taking up the post.

kill the goose that lays the golden egg

to destroy something that makes a lot of money. If you sell your shares now, you could be killing the goose that lays the golden egg.

See also: egg, goose, kill, lay, that