| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Project slightly behind original schedule due to unforeseen difficulties | We got so sick of working on this that we decided to do something else. |
| Major Technological Breakthrough | Back to the drawing board. |
| Developed after years of intensive research | It was discovered by accident. |
| Test results were extremely gratifying | It works, and are we surprised. |
| Extensive effort is being applied on a fresh approach to the problem | We just hired three new guys; we'll let them kick it around for a while. |
| Preliminary operational tests are inconclusive | The darn thing blew up when we threw the switch. |
| The entire concept will have to be abandoned | The only guy who understood the thing quit. |
| Modifications are under way to correct certain minor difficulties | We threw the whole thing out and are starting from scratch. |