hit the ground running, take a hit, off-balance

In Russian Elections, Putin's Party Takes a Hit
Apparent efforts to silence allegations of voter fraud and 16 percent dip in popularity put United Russia party off-balance.受打擊 失去平衡

QUOTATION OF THE DAY

"Obviously the first-class passenger is a very senior person in his company, coming a long way around the world, and probably doing something very important for his business. He requires to be able to sleep, work on his speech, perhaps take a shower upon arrival, so he can hit the ground running."

JOHN SLOSAR, the chief executive of Cathay Pacific Airways, on increasingly luxurious services in first class.

hit the ground running

Seize an opportunity; begin at full speed. For example, As soon as the front office gave its approval for the new department, we hit the ground running. The origin of this term is disputed. It may come from troops dropped into a combat zone, from stowaways jumping off a freight train as it nears the station, or from Pony Express riders avoiding delay when they changed mounts.