C2idiombusinessIELTS-friendly
run a tight ship
USUK
to manage an organisation strictly and efficiently
From sailing. It is usually a compliment, though it can also suggest a boss who is hard to please.
In context
The new head teacher runs a tight ship; nobody arrives late any more.
Our manager ran a tight ship, but she was always fair to everyone.
More idioms about business
- a ballpark figurea rough number that is close to the real amount
- a big playera powerful and important person or company in a field
- a bottlenecka point where progress slows because too much has to pass through it
- a deal breakera fact or condition that makes you refuse to accept an agreement
- a dog-eat-dog worlda situation where people compete hard and will harm others to succeed