banana skin

Frequency: 8.51.9 per million words

figurative: something that causes an embarrassing mistake

Categories:

Examples (10)

  • The company has acquired an unhappy knack of slipping on banana skins.
  • The seemingly simple question from the journalist was a potential banana skin for the unprepared politician.
  • Answering the 'greatest weakness' question can be a real banana skin during a job interview.
  • The underdog team proved to be a banana skin for the reigning champions, causing a major upset.
  • Forgetting to thank your team at the end of a successful presentation is a classic banana skin.
  • Be careful with that final step in the process; it's a well-known banana skin that trips up many beginners.
  • He slipped on a political banana skin when he misstated the unemployment figures.
  • The new tax legislation could be a significant banana skin for small businesses next year.
  • The final exam was full of banana skins designed to catch out students who hadn't revised thoroughly.
  • The board must navigate several potential banana skins in the upcoming merger negotiations.