pencil pusher
Meaning: An office worker; a bureaucrat who routinely does his or her paperwork job without any desire to advance.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Category: Daily Life
Origin: The expression is derogatory. It is often used to describe someone who ought to be more ambitious.
More idioms — Daily Life
- penny pincher — A person that doesn't like to spend money.
- peter out — To disappear gradually.
- pinch pennies — To be very careful with one's money; to be concerned about how one spends every penny.
- pink slip — Notice that one has been fired from one's job.
- play hardball — To work or act aggressively, competitively, or ruthlessly, as in business or politics.
- play one's cards right — To do all the right things and make all the right moves in order to achieve some end.
More English idioms
- play second fiddle — To be in a subordinate position; to have a lower rank or standing than someone else.
- pop the question — To ask someone to get married.
- pound of flesh — A (figuratively) painful payment of a debt.
- pull oneself up by one's bootstraps — To improve oneself (usually economically) without help from others.
- pull rank — To take advantage of one's superior position (one's rank).
- pull something off — To accomplish something that had appeared difficult to finish or achieve.
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