- aller mieux les affaires vont mieux depuis que mon associé est revenu
- prendre de l'allure / commencer à avoir de l'allure, [fam.] de la gueule acquérir un aspect positif, atteindre un stade avancé - alors ce chantier? - ça prend de l'allure, les gars sont efficaces
- commencer à avoir de l'allure, [fam.] de la gueule / à ressembler à qqch eh bien voilà, avec les guirlandes, ce sapin commence à ressembler à quelque chos
amélioration active
- redresser la barre faire le nécessaire pour rendre positive une situation qui est mal engagée si nous ne redressons pas la barre maintenant, notre année sera fichue
- réajuster/redresser le tir faire s'améliorer une situation en changeant quelques détails aux actions qui ont été prises
- corriger le tir usage: expression un peu plus forte que la précédente
dégradation
- empirer vt: rendre pire, plus grave vi: devenir pire son retour n'a fait qu'empirer les choses la situation empire d'année en année
- se changer/s'en aller/tourner en eau de boudin [pop.] se terminer par un échec
- tourner au vinaigre prendre une mauvaise tournure
- ça ne sent pas bon j'ai un mauvais pressentiment Comment? Arnaud est de retour à Paris? Ca ne sent pas bon, tout ça...
- s'envenimer devenir plus grave, plus profond le conflit s'est envenimé depuis la déclaration du chef du gouvernement
- improve get better Things will improve after the next elections
- things are looking up the situation seems to be improving usage: especially if the situation has been bad Our marriage was going through a rough patch, but things are looking up since I cut back on my work.
- on the up and up gradually improving, getting better and better The company’s been on the up and up since moving into our new offices. Sales are up, we’ve hired some new employees and we might be able to give everyone a Christmas bonus this year.
- take off to improve rapidly Sales have really taken off since we introduced that new ad last year.
- fall into place work out usage: describing complicated situations that resolve themselves Everything’s fallen into place since the summer: I got a new job, a colleague helped me find a new house and a place has just opened up at the local school for little Emily.
Active improvement
- pull one’s socks up {mildly fam.} improve one’s attitude and work harder If you don’t pull your socks up, mate, you’ll be out of a job by the end of the month.
- pull/get your finger out {fam.} make more of an effort, start making an effort usage: often said as an imperative Pull your finger out, mate! Don’t make us do all the work for you.
- knock something into shape {fam.} improve something, perfect something usage: especially if a lot of work is needed I’ve almost finished that report. I just need another day to knock it into shape.
Passive deterioration
- turn nasty become acrimonious or violent A discussion on the future of Europe turned nasty last night when M. Chirac called Mr Blair ‘mal élevé’.
- go south {fam.} deteriorate (rapidly) If the US economy goes south this year, a lot of people are going to lose their health insurance.
- take a nose-dive {fam.} decline rapidly Economic growth took a nose-dive shortly after Aupick won the presidential election.
- go pear-shaped {fam.} deteriorate rapidly, go out of control England were one-nil up until the 90th minute when everything went pear-shaped: a blunder by James gave Zidane a free kick which he placed in the top left corner of the goal, and a penalty in injury time gave France the match.
- the bottom fell out (of something) {fam.} sudden disaster struck I was an advertising executive until 1999 when the bottom fell out of my life. My wife left me for my best friend, I started drinking, I lost my job and then I got evicted.
- go down the tubes {fam.} fail (rapidly) Our plan to retire to the south of France went down the tubes when our pension company went bankrupt and we lost everything.
