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.