SUCCESS
Having Success
Not Having Success
Taking Advantage of Personal Power And Success
Success Types

S U C C E S S

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HAVING SUCCESS

La fortuna aiuta gli audaci

Fortune favours the brave

You took a big risk changing your job, but now I've to recognise that you made the right choice: fortune favours the brave!

Puntare al massimo, ambire al successo

To go for gold

Even from the years at college, it was so evident that Marcus was one of those going for gold.

Scalare il proprio successo personale

Climbing one's personal Everest

Compliments! You were so fast in climbing your personal Everest!

Un successo di pubblico travolgente

To pack the house

She really packed out the house, performing Shakespeare at the local theatre... she turned out to be very talented!

Non perdere neanche un'opportunità

Not to miss a trick

He's so successful in his career because he never misses a trick.

Offrire un'occasione da non perdere

To give someone a fair crack of the whip

He was given a fair crack of the whip, and he was snapped up at once... he was really quick off the draw!

La fortuna bussa una volta sola

Opportunities knock only once

Send your professional profile today: opportunities knock only once, and that's a golden one.

Essere all'altezza, al livello di qualcuno

To be on a par with

Before Harris won, Jack seemed to be on a par with him but, not being so experienced was the stumbling-block.

Avere più si una freccia al proprio arco

Another notch in one's belt (another string to one's bow)

He's passed the post graduated study and now he has another notch in his belt (another string to his bow).

Dare i punti agli altri, essere in vantaggio

To run rings round someone (to have the edge on someone)

He was the expert par excellence at changing locks, so he ran rings round (he had the edge on) all the locksmiths of the area.

Essere un gradino sopra

To be a cut above (to ride high)

You'll never compare with Spencer: he's more prepared than you... he's a cut above you (he rides higher than you).

Fare un bel salto

To step up the ladder

From driving a go-kart to Formula One racing is quite a step up the ladder... lucky you!

Mettersi vista, ottenere una posizione favorevole

To take pride of the place

Thanks to the article that the local journal issued about his new book, the writer had taken pride of place amongst a lot of publishers.

Far qualcosa con le proprie forze

To do something by the seat of one's pants (to pull oneself up by one's own bootstraps, under one's own steam)

Elisa won the prize without any help by the seat of her pants (pulling herself up by her own bootstraps, under her own steam).

Essere il probabile vincitore

To lead the field

Even though he was not the youngest person in the competition, he was definitely leading the field... nobody could be compared with him.

Essere il "numero uno"

The high ground (a first rate, the top notch)

Harris is well considered to be on the high ground in the field of web design these days.

Essere migliore di altri

To knock spots off

He's the best candidate the party had ever had... he knocks spots off the others!

Il migliore in assoluto

The cream of the crop

Sean's the best teacher here, he's really the cream of the crop

When the company hire new managers they look for the cream of the crop.

Avere successo

To get ahead, to set the world on fire

I confess I admire him: he gets ahead so squarely and successfully.

I would never have bet that you could set the world on fire!

Avere il successo assicurato

To go a long way

I told you that he would go a long way... he was the only one who had all the right qualities to be successful.

Sapere il fatto proprio

To be on the ball

He's more than a simple mechanic: when it's a matter of engines he's perfectly on the ball.

Una persona all'avanguardia

A person ahead of their time

I never had such a charismatic leader: he is full of creative ideas, really a person ahead of his time.

Ognuno ha il suo giorno fortunato, di gloria

Every dog has his day

After being the backroom boy for years, the Director noticed that he was talented enough to perform in a leading role: every dog has his day!

Portare a termine con successo

To carry the day (to win the day)

Slow and steady, Frank won the race: after many difficult moments, he carried the day (he won the day) and defeated all his rivals.

Un successo transitorio

A nine-day wonder (a seven-day wonder)

That rock group was a nine-day wonder (seven-day wonder): after the first success, they were quickly forgotten.

Un momento favorevole

To be in the groove (to have the high ground, to be onto a good thing)

After a couple of big companies had settled near his restaurant, his business was in the groove (was having the high ground, was onto a good thing).

Il proprio momento di gloria

Someone's shining hour

When she received her degree, it really was her shining hour.

Sbaragliare, vincere trionfalmente

to win (to be first) with flying colours; Jamie was bringing it off well and forged ahead, winning with flying colours!

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NOT HAVING SUCCESS

Dare spazio al più forte

To leave the field clear for somebody

Seeing that Harris had more chances of winning, Ralph left the field clear for him by not participating in the second ballot.

Ridimensionare una persona in auge

To knock somebody off their pedestal

He was knocked off his pedestal when the results he promised didn't come off.

Rischiare il collo

Put somebody's neck on the line

The old Chairman put his neck on the line by foretelling a merger with the big Japanese company.

Far carte false

To go to any lengths

He's going to any lengths to achieve what he wants, even going so far as to entice his colleagues into supporting him.

Essere in una posizione di rischio

To be in the hot seat

After years of unscrupulous control of the firm, today he is in the hot seat.

Sponsorizzare un perdente

To back the wrong horse

We trusted him by giving him our savings, but after reading that he went bankrupt, we realised we had backed the wrong horse.

L'inizio della fine, della sfortuna

Albatross around someone's neck

After years of leadership, Alan is now an albatross round the company's neck, following the flop of his ambitious project.

La persona sbagliata al posto sbagliato

To be a square peg in a round hole

Even if he's very prepared, he's completely wrong for leading this branch: really a square peg!

Quando farò fortuna

When my ship comes in (comes home)

I'll buy a big penthouse in the heart of the city and a red convertible, when my ship comes in (comes home)!

Una fortuna che non arriverà mai)

A pie in the sky

We'll never win the lottery... it's all pie in the sky!

Arrivare per ultimo

To win the wooden spoon

Jack is not in peak form: he won the wooden spoon at the last marathon.

Morto un papa se ne fa un altro

The King is dead, long live the King; I think he was the best boss we've ever had but, now someone will take his place, you know... the King is dead, long live the King!

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TAKING ADVANTAGE OF PERSONAL POWER AND SUCCESS

Avere il potere, dettar legge

To call the shots

Just a tip: don't clash with Frank because he is used to calling the shots.

Andare a gonfie vele

To have everything going for one

He's so lucky having everything going for him: he's young, handsome and rich.

Esercitare il potere, il controllo sugli altri

To crack the whip (to have the whip hand over somebody, to keep a tight rein on somebody)

Since Matthew took over the company, he got in the driving seat, cracking the whip over (having the whip hand over, keeping a tight rein on) all the managing staff.

Andare alla grande, volare alto

To ride high (to be in the saddle)

Being so cosy with the President of the company, he's riding high (on the saddle) at the moment.

Comportarsi in modo sprezzante, superioreggiare

To lord it over (to get above)

Being the owner, he lords it over all the shop assistants.

Avere una grande influenza su qualcuno (qualcosa)

To get one's hooks into (to have someone over a barrel)

When the moment of decision arrives, Harry gets his hooks into the group (has them over a barrel) by using his special charisma.

Dare carta bianca

To give teeth to

Have you heard it? The boss has just given teeth to Sam for the internal services and controls... that's the beginning of the end!

Aver le mani in pasta ovunque

To have a finger in every pie

Being such a successful person, he's involved in many activities, even if the public opinion doesn't like it that he has a finger in every pie.

Tanto di cappello!

To hand it to somebody (to take off one's hat to somebody)

You've got to hand it to her (I've to take off my hat to her): she coped with that bad situation without difficulties and showed herself to be a great organizer.

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SUCCESS TYPES

Il capo (ironico)

Your lord and master

She's so devoted that she brings the coffee to her lord and master every morning.

Un tipo rampante

To be a whizz kid

Frank's such a whizz kid! He's so intelligent and well-mannered that he is considered to be one of the best colleagues in that branch of the company.

Un pierino

To be the back seat driver

He will never take a risk but he's always interfering in our business with foolish hints: he's such a back seat driver!

Una persona abile, in senso pratico

A rough diamond

Julie is really lucky to have found Paul, as he's a really good man, even if he's a bit of a rough diamond

Uno molto bravo (ironico)

To be the best thing since sliced bread

When I asked them what they made of him, they sarcastically told me: "He's the best thing since sliced bread!".

Una persona determinata

To be a tough cookie

Laura is a very tough cookie: she finally got what she wanted, after being at her boss's beck and call for years.

Un uomo di mondo

A man about town

It's easy to catch up with him at social gatherings; he's such a man about town.

Un pezzo grosso

To be a big cheese (the top dog)

She's said to be a big cheese (the top dog) in the fashion design branch.

Un pallone gonfiato

To be too big for one's boots

I've known he's too big for his boots since University: he was always blowing his own trumpet.

Il leader di una piccola organizzazione

To be a big fish in a small pond

Jerry is so full of himself that he cannot understand that he is now only a big fish in a very small pond, in this Mickey Mouse company.

La gente che conta (ironico)

The high and mighty; Entering the opening of the exhibition was not easy.. it seemed that only the high and mighty were welcome!