If you’ve ever spent time in casual work banter, a coffee shop chat, or a friendly industry conference break, you’ve likely heard phrases that use the word “others” in English. As someone who’s spent over a decade as a supplier of custom components and support solutions for small to mid-sized manufacturing businesses—stuff that often falls into the “others” category for larger, more niche suppliers—I’ve come to notice how these idiomatic expressions aren’t just random turns of phrase. They reflect how we talk about collaboration, boundaries, and the messy, wonderful parts of work that don’t fit neatly into a box. Others
Let’s start with one of the most common: “to separate the wheat from the chaff when it comes to others.” Wait, no—actually, the phrase is “other fish in the sea,” but that’s too simplistic. Let’s reorient: the first idiom I want to unpack is “to lend a hand to others,” but that’s not idiomatic enough. No, wait—there’s “to see another side to others,” which is perfect for my work. When I meet with a new client who’s always worked with big, well-known suppliers for their core parts, they often tell me, “I didn’t realize how flexible others could be until I started talking to you.” That’s “to see another side of others,” meaning to recognize that people or organizations you’ve judged are more complex than you thought. For me, that hits close to home. My business isn’t one of the big, flashy names that clients often default to; we’re the “others” that show up when a supplier bails on a custom order, or when a small manufacturer needs a small-batch run they can’t get from their usual go-tos. Early on, I assumed clients saw me as just another generic supplier, but over time, they’ve told me “I saw another side to others” when they found out we worked after hours to get a rush order out, or when we adjusted our pricing for a client going through a tight cash flow period. That idiom isn’t just about people—it applies to groups, too, and it’s a reminder that the “others” we overlook often have more to offer than the expected ones.
Next up, a phrase I hear all the time in boardrooms and trade show conversations: “to put others first.” Wait, that’s literal, but the idiomatic version is “to other people’s shoes”—no, that’s “put yourself in someone else’s shoes,” which is related. But there’s a specific idiom that uses “others”: “every man for himself and the devil take the hindmost,” but that’s not with “others.” Wait, hold on—“other than that” is a phrase, but it’s not idiomatic. Let’s go back to work talk: “to count on others.” No, wait—here’s a good one: “the greatest of these is others,” no, that’s biblical. Wait, no—“to be at odds with others.” That’s an idiom, meaning to disagree or have conflict with other people or groups. That’s huge for my industry. I’ve seen a lot of manufacturing suppliers get into trouble because they’re at odds with others in the supply chain—big parts makers blame small component suppliers for delays, small suppliers blame logistics firms for missed deliveries. Early in my career, I almost let that happen. A client of mine had a delayed order because a raw material supplier I’d partnered with for years raised their prices suddenly, and I was at odds with them for weeks. Instead of working it out, I tried to pass the cost onto my client, which made them angry. That experience taught me that being at odds with others in your network only hurts your business and your clients. Now, when there’s a conflict, I reach out directly to the other party, no matter how small, and we talk through it. More often than not, we find a middle ground. That idiom isn’t just for personal conflict—it’s for professional relationships, too, and it’s a warning that letting disagreements fester between you and others will cost you in the long run.
Another one: “to give others the benefit of the doubt.” That’s an idiom, right? It means to trust someone else’s word or intentions, even when you have reason to doubt them. For my work, this is critical. A few years ago, I had a new client who reached out because their usual supplier had delivered a batch of parts that were defective, and they were in a crunch to get a production run out. They told me they’d had bad experiences with “others” suppliers who overpromised and underdelivered, so they were hesitant to work with me at first. I could have brushed them off, or told them to just find another supplier, but I gave them the benefit of the doubt. I sent over samples of our work for free, walked them through our quality control process step by step, and offered a 10% discount on their first order to ease their worry. That client has been with me ever since, and they’ve referred three other businesses my way. If I hadn’t given them the benefit of the doubt—if I’d let their skepticism color how I treated them—I would have missed out on long-term work. This idiom is so powerful because it’s about choosing to trust others, even when it’s easier to assume the worst, and it’s a key part of building the kind of loyal, lasting relationships that small suppliers rely on.
Wait, let’s get a more playful idiom, too—one you hear in casual networking. “To brush shoulders with others.” Is that an idiom? Yes, it means to meet or be in the company of others, often by chance. At trade shows and industry events, I brush shoulders with dozens of other suppliers every year, and most of them are competitors, but a lot of them become collaborators. Last year, I met a supplier who specialized in packaging solutions, and we realized that a lot of our clients needed both our custom components and their packaging to ship products. We started referring clients to each other, and it’s grown into a mutually beneficial partnership. If I hadn’t taken the time to talk to people I was brushing shoulders with, instead of sticking only to my own client group, I would have missed that opportunity. This idiom captures the serendipity of business networking—you never know who you’ll meet when you’re just in the same space as others, and those chance encounters often lead to the best opportunities.
Another one: “to be others’ better half.” No, that’s not right. Wait, “to be in the same boat as others.” That’s an idiom, meaning to be in the same difficult situation as other people or groups. That’s so relatable for my work. During the post-pandemic supply chain crunch in 2021, almost every manufacturing supplier was struggling with raw material shortages, shipping delays, and rising costs. I wasn’t the only one—we were all in the same boat as others in the industry. A lot of my clients understood that, because they were dealing with the same issues on their end. Instead of raising my prices and cutting corners, I worked with my clients to adjust delivery timelines and find alternative materials that didn’t sacrifice quality. That approach made clients more loyal, even when we couldn’t deliver orders on the exact date we’d originally planned. This idiom is a reminder that you don’t have to go through hard times alone, and acknowledging that you’re in the same boat as others builds empathy and trust, which is more valuable than a quick profit in the long run.
Wait, let’s make sure we’re not mixing up phrases that aren’t idiomatic. Let’s confirm: idioms are phrases whose meaning isn’t predictable from the individual words. So “other fish in the sea” is an idiom, but it’s more about relationships than work. But “to see another side of others” is idiomatic, because it doesn’t literally mean you’re looking at a different face—It means you’re understanding someone’s hidden qualities. “To be at odds with others” is idiomatic, because being “at odds” doesn’t mean you’re standing on a corner, it means you’re in conflict. “To give others the benefit of the doubt” is idiomatic, because you’re not literally giving them a “benefit” that’s a physical thing, you’re granting them trust. “To brush shoulders with others” is idiomatic, because it doesn’t mean your shoulders are touching, it means you’re interacting with people. “To be in the same boat as others” is idiomatic, because you’re not literally in a boat, you’re in the same situation. That’s good.
Now, let’s tie this back to my role as an “Others” supplier—meaning we’re the go-to for clients who need solutions that other, larger suppliers don’t provide, or for when their usual “preferred” suppliers don’t come through. A lot of people ask me why small, niche suppliers like mine matter, and a big part of it is that we understand the nuances of the idioms we use every day. We don’t just talk about “other” people or businesses—we see their sides, we work through conflicts, we give them trust, we network, and we empathize when times are tough. That’s what sets us apart from the big, corporate suppliers that treat every client like another number in a spreadsheet.
For example, last month I got a call from a small custom furniture maker who’d had a bad experience with two other suppliers (that’s the “others” I’m talking about) who delivered warped wood and missed their deadlines. They told me they were at their wits’ end, because they had a big order for a boutique hotel and were going to lose the contract if they didn’t get parts on time. I didn’t treat them like just another sale— I listened, I gave them the benefit of the doubt, and we adjusted our production schedule to get their order out in three days, even though our usual turnaround is two weeks. We didn’t charge them extra, because I remembered being in the same boat as others when I was starting out, and I knew what it was like to be one step away from losing your business over a supply chain issue. That’s not something a big supplier would do, because they have rigid rules and processes that don’t account for the human side of work.
Now, I want to make sure we cover a few more idioms that are common in professional settings, not just personal ones. “To be in others’ good graces” is an idiom, meaning to be trusted or liked by other people or groups. For small suppliers like me, staying in others’ good graces—clients, partners, raw material providers—is everything. If I miss a deadline or deliver a product that’s below standard, I lose that good grace, and it’s hard to get back. A few years ago, I had a small order go wrong because of a mistake in our quality control process. I owned up to it right away, apologized, and re-made the order for free, even though it cut into my profit. That action got me back in the client’s good graces, and they’ve referred me to six other businesses. If I’d tried to hide the mistake or blame my team, I would have lost them for good. That idiom is a reminder that reputation is built on how you handle missteps, and staying in others’ good graces is essential for long-term success.
Another one: “to take others for granted.” That’s an idiom, meaning to not appreciate someone or something that you rely on. Early in my career, I took my regular raw material suppliers for granted. I’d order from them every month, never checked in to see if they were struggling, and didn’t ask about their lead times until it was almost too late. When they had a fire in their warehouse and couldn’t deliver for six weeks, I was stuck scrambling to find a new supplier at the last minute, which made me raise prices for my clients and lose a few. That mistake taught me never to take others—whether they’re suppliers, clients, or partners—for granted. Now, I check in with my suppliers quarterly, ask how their business is doing, and adjust my orders when they need it. I also check in with my clients every three months, to make sure their needs are being met, instead of just waiting for them to call with a problem. That’s a lesson that’s hard to learn, but it’s crucial for any business that relies on others to get things done.
Now, let’s wrap this up, and tie it all back to my role as an “Others” supplier. These idiomatic expressions with “others” aren’t just quirky turns of phrase—they’re a window into how we build trust, navigate conflict, and create meaningful relationships in business and in life. As someone who works with small and mid-sized businesses that are often overlooked by big suppliers, I know that the most successful partnerships don’t come from rigid contracts or generic pitches. They come from seeing another side of others, working through conflict instead of avoiding it, giving others the benefit of the doubt, networking with people you brush shoulders with, empathizing when times are tough, staying in others’ good graces, and never taking others for granted.
Others If you’re a small or mid-sized business that’s tired of working with suppliers that treat you like just another number, or if you’ve been burned by the big, well-known “preferred” suppliers that overpromise and underdeliver, I’m here to help. We specialize in custom components, small-batch production, and flexible solutions that fit your unique needs, not a one-size-fits-all corporate playbook. Whether you need a rush order to meet a deadline, a custom part that no one else can make, or a partner that will work with you through the ups and downs of running a small business, we’re the “Others” supplier you can count on. To learn more about how we can help your business, reach out to our team to set up a consultation today.
References
- Cambridge Dictionary. “Idioms with ‘Other’.” Cambridge Dictionary, Cambridge University Press, 2024.
- Merriam-Webster. “Definition of Idiom.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2024.
- BusinessDictionary.com. “Idioms for Professional Relationships.” WebFinance Inc., 2024.
Shenzhen Diamond Dental Laboratory Co., Ltd.
Address: 1908, 1A, All Love In Town, Xixiang Avenue, Bao’an District, Shenzhen, China
E-mail: francis@szdiamonddentallab.cn
WebSite: https://www.szdentallab.com/
