Editor's Corner

As I mentioned the other day, my friend Jane asked me to cover terms like “on the struggle bus,” which means having a rough time. For balance, she also asked me about terms and synonyms for doing well, feeling good, and living the good life. She mentioned some examples, which I wasn’t familiar with, like “five by five” and “Bravo Zulu.” Today, I have some definitions, and AI provided me with a list of other phrases you might use, depending on where you are and who you’re talking to.

five by five

In pop culture, "five by five" originates from military radio communication during WWII, meaning "loud and clear" or "perfect reception." The term refers to a 1-5 scale for both signal strength and clarity; a "5×5" rating indicates maximum strength and clarity.

Bravo Zulu

A naval signal meaning "well done". The phrase comes from the Allied Naval Signal Book, where the signal flag combination BZ was used to represent this message.

Casual and slang

• Killing it: A very common, energetic phrase for excelling or performing exceptionally well.
• On fire: Describes a period of high achievement and success.
• Nailing it: Means doing something perfectly or successfully.
• Knocking it out of the park/Hitting a home run: Borrowed from baseball, this means exceeding expectations and doing an outstanding job.
• In the zone: Describes a state of deep focus and peak performance.
• Crushing it: The modern, high-energy term for dominating a task or performing extremely well.
• Slaying it: A more modern, informal version of "killing it".

Idioms and expressions

· Everything’s coming up roses: A positive phrase indicating that everything is going well and leading to a good outcome.

· Going swimmingly: Describes a situation that is progressing smoothly and without problems.

· On a roll: Refers to a series of successes, where one good thing happens after another.

· Passing with flying colors: Means to pass a test or complete a task with great success.

Professional and workplace

· On top of your game: Performing at the highest level of your ability.

· Thriving/Flourishing: Used to describe success or strong growth, especially for a business or career.

· In top form: Performing at your very best.

· Achieving peak performance: Performing at the best possible level, a more formal alternative to "on top of your game".

Short and direct

• Top-notch: Excellent, of the highest quality.
• Stellar: Outstanding or remarkable.
• Killing it: A high-energy way of saying someone is doing extremely well.
• Nailed it! A simple exclamation of success.

Let’s hope that when you “nail it,” you do better than the folks on the cake baking show!

Kara Church | Technical Editor, Advisory | Knowledge Enablement

Pronouns: she/her | Call via Teams | jackhenry.com

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