Feb 22, 2014

Move the needle

To move the needle is to change something, usually in a positive way. The needle in this case is the indicator which measures something. In the photo here, you can see that the needle is at 120.

We often use this expression in business. For example:

"Our efforts to move the needle with regard to getting new customers in Asia didn't have any effect until we hired a local sales rep to help us."

"The last marketing campaign really moved the needle. Our new sign-ups rose by 18%."

Feb 7, 2014

Epic!

Epic can be a noun or an adjective. As a noun, it refers to a long story or poem, usually containing a lot of adventure.

As an an adjective, it can have two meanings. When it describes a story or film, it gives you the sense of an epic: long and full of adventure. But it has also come to mean "really great or amazing." Below you can see some examples:

Advertisement: "Warship II continues the epic tale of the battleship Armageddon and its courageous crew members. Don't miss this thrilling continuation of a story you'll never forget!"

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You: How was your trip to Paris?

Your friend: Epic! We found this great neighbourhood on Saturday and spent the whole night there!

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This image comes from Etsy, and you can find the item here.