IDIOMS

World of sports

IN ENGLISH, THE BUSINESS WORLD DRAWS SIGNIFICANT INSPIRATION FROM THE WORLD OF SPORTS, WHICH IS REFLECTED IN MANY COMMONLY USED EXPRESSIONS. WE HAVE COMPILED A LIST OF OVER 130 SUCH EXPRESSIONS, COMPLETE WITH EXPLANATIONS AND EXAMPLES.

FULL-COURT PRESS.
Basketball game with aggressive defense — visual metaphor for the business idiom 'full-court press', meaning an intense and coordinated effort to reach a goal

This expression refers to an intense, coordinated, and typically time-bound effort undertaken to achieve a specific goal. It can apply to the actions of an individual, a team, or an entire organization.

The term originates from the world of sports, specifically basketball. In that context, it describes a defensive strategy where pressure is applied across the entire court to disrupt the opposing team's progress and force a turnover.

Here are a few examples of how the expression is used in a professional context:

  • We need to launch a full-court press to meet our year-end targets, as we're currently falling behind.

  • If we want to secure this CEO, we'll need a full-court press - let's arrange for the leadership team to meet with him next week.

  • Our competitor just released their new shoe. We need to initiate a full-court press to get ours to market ahead of schedule.

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