"I don't know what to ___ all these old files."
do with
"Relax, it's just a joke — ___!"
lighten up
"It's not fair to ___ your frustration ___ your coworkers."
take … out on
The CEO's abrupt departure really ___ among shareholders. The dress code applies to everyone ___ their seniority, and old colleagues from the merger still ___ years later."
raised eyebrows / regardless of / stay in touch
"A brand so famous everyone recognizes it is a ___; buying another company outright is an ___."
household name / acquisition
"The police officer signaled for the driver to ___."
pull over
"The negotiations ___ for nearly six hours."
went on
"The interns tend to ___ late during the busy season."
stay out
"Mounting debt has been slowly ___ the company's reserves. After the meeting the team decided to ___ to headquarters, and everyone agreed the new dessert was ___."
eating away at / head back / out of this world
"A company's leading, best-known product is its ___ product; a highly profitable venture is ___."
flagship / lucrative
"If you keep spending like that, you'll ___ broke."
end up
"After the argument, they both needed time to ___."
cool off
"The misunderstanding about the invoice was quickly ___."
cleared up
"The firm wants to ___ into international markets, but insiders suspect executives tried to ___ the accounting scandal, forcing the board to ___ on travel spending."
branch out / cover up / cut back on
"The final profit-or-loss figure on a statement is the ___; when two companies combine into one it's a ___."
bottom line / merger
"After months of unpaid invoices, the client finally had to ___."
pay up
"Rising fuel costs are really ___ into our profits."
eating up
"We have a two-hour layover — we'll ___ in Madrid before the connecting flight."
stop over
"After two rough quarters the division is officially ___. The board member's stake in the supplier created a clear ___, and the smaller company seemed ___ bankruptcy."
in the red / conflict of interest / on the verge of
"When a company loses market share to rivals, it's said to ___; the range of products or investments it holds is its ___."
lose ground / portfolio
"Prices are expected to ___ once the new suppliers start delivering."
come down
"The workers decided to ___ for a better contract instead of accepting the first offer."
hold out
"Regulators have started to ___ on companies that avoid taxes."
crack down
"The startup has had ___ bad news lately — layoffs, lawsuits, and now renovations ___ at the factory. Analysts had to watch one plant get ___ entirely, but the founder still insists ___."
a string of / under way / shut down / the sky's the limit
"A legally protected brand name or symbol is a ___; a sudden financial failure is a ___."
trademark / collapse