work the room
To interact enthusiastically with the attendees at an event, by moving among them, greeting them, and engaging them in conversation.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The politician knows how to work the room at every party.”
“At the networking event, she made sure to work the room and meet as many potential clients as possible.”
“The seasoned diplomat moved through the crowded gala with ease, expertly working the room to build support for the new trade agreement.”
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assume room temperature
To die; to be killed.
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baby elephant in the room
An obvious but mostly inconsequential issue.
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busy work
Work or activity performed with the intention or result of occupying time, and not necessarily to accomplish something productive; routine work of low priority undertaken for the sake of avoiding idleness.
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close enough for government work
Adequate; acceptable as government work, imperfect but not worth the time nor effort of improving.
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crazy enough to work
Acknowledging that an idea, plan, or strategy seems foolish, implausible, or risky, yet might succeed precisely because of its unconventional or unexpected nature.
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detective work
investigative research
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dirty work
One or more unpleasant tasks, assignments, or employment duties, especially those of a disreputable or illicit nature.
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do the work
To take part in social justice activism; to fight against racism, oppression, etc.
Last updated August 10, 2026