leave money on the table
v. phr.— «The difference between what the high bidder on a lease parcel offers and the bid of his nearest competitor is called in the industry “leaving money on the table.” Humble left the table well laden on several of its bids.» —“Record $603 Million Bid for Santa Barbara Oil Leases” by Thomas W. Bush Los Angeles Times Feb. 7, 1968. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Oofless is an antiquated bit of British slang that describes someone temporarily short on cash. It’s from ooftisch, a Yiddish-derived term for “cash placed on the table,” from German auf Tisch. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of...
Brian from Lafayette, Indiana, wonders why chicken is abbreviated CHX in the restaurant industry. Using X as a substitute or shortener has a long history. Medieval scribes sometimes drew a line through the final stroke of an abbreviated word. This...