A
A blank cheque
MEANING: If you give someone a blank cheque, you authorize them to do what they think is best in a difficult situation.
EXAMPLES:
Tim was given a blank cheque and told to negotiate the best deal possible.
A blank check is a bank check with the amount left for the payee to fill in.
A foot in the door
MEANING: To say that someone has a foot in the door means that they have a small but successful start in something, and will possibly do well in the future.
EXAMPLE: With today's unemployment, it's difficult to get a foot in the door in any profession. Jim has his foot in the door.
Note: The idiom `get one's foot in the door’ is derived from the “hard sell” tactic used by door-to-door salesmen. Such a salesman, when attempting to sell a product, sticks one of his feet on the threshold of the door.
All hands on deck
MEANING: When there is a need for all hands on deck, everyone must help, especially when there's a lot of work to be done in a short amount of time.
EXAMPLE: As the opening day approached, it was all hands on deck to have everything ready in time.
A-team
MEANING: An elite group or task force that is willing and capable of solving difficult problems or a team that works together under uncertain conditions to create innovative solutions
EXAMPLE: The new engineer was assigned to the A-team to tackle the division’s most pressing problem.
Alpha Geek
MEANING: The most knowledgeable, technically proficient person in an office or work group. “
EXAMPLE: I have no idea. Please ask Paul. He’s our alpha geek.”
Note: A geek is a person who is perceived as a knowledge holder for a mostly technical topic. The Alpha Geek is the Geek of the Geeks.
across the board
MEANING: including everyone or everything
EXAMPLE: The computer company decided to give the workers an across-the-board increase in their salary.
at a loss
MEANING: sell something and lose money
EXAMPLE: We were forced to sell the computers at a big loss.
at a premium
MEANING: at a high price; at a relatively high price
EXAMPLE: When flat-screen televisions first came out, they were selling at a premium.
Note: What Does Paying a Premium Mean? To pay a premium generally means to pay above the going rate for something, because of some perceived added value or due to supply and demand imbalances. To pay a premium may also refer more narrowly to making payments for an insurance policy.
// การชำระเบี้ยประกันภัย (to pay a premium) อาจหมายถึงการชำระเงินสำหรับกรมธรรม์ประกันภัย (an insurance policy)
B
back-of-the-envelope calculations
MEANING: quick calculations; estimates using approximate numbers, instead of exact numbers
EXAMPLE: I don't need the exact numbers right now. Just give me some back-of-the-envelope calculations.
Source: https://www.consultantsmind.com/2012/09/26/hypothesis-based-consulting/back-of-the-envelope-calculation-printer-jpg/
bail a company out
MEANING: help or rescue a company with financial problems.
EXAMPLE: The government decided to bail out the failing bank in order to maintain stability in the economy.
Source: https://www.amazon.com/Egberts-Treasures-Damn-that-Decorative-Household/dp/B00AA1G12K
ball park figure/estimate
MEANING: a rough estimate or figure
EXAMPLE: The contractor gave us a ball park figure for the cost of repairing the new building.
bang for the buck
MEANING: value for the money spent
EXAMPLE:We were able to get a big bang for our buck when we advertised on the Internet.
banker’s hours
MEANING: short work hours
EXAMPLE: My sister’s husband owns his own company and is able to work banker’s hours with his large staff.
Bean-counter
MEANING: an accountant
EXAMPLE: We asked the bean-counters to look over the figures in the new budget.
Source: https://berkonomics.com/?p=3276
belt-tightening
MEANING: reduction of expenses
EXAMPLE: When worldwide demand for software decreased, Microsoft had to do some belt-tightening.
Source: https://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorial_cartoon/2022/06/23/theo-moudakis-belt-tightening.html
big gun/cheese/wheel/wig
MEANING: an important person, a leader
EXAMPLE: The new director was a big wheel in his previous company but is not so important now.
He’s a big cheese.
(to) bite the bullet
MEANING: to make a difficult or painful decision; to take a difficult step
EXAMPLE: When demand was down, U.S. automakers had to bite the bullet and cut jobs.
Source: https://quotesgram.com/bite-the-bullet-quotes/
Note: a silver bullet = a simple and seemingly magical solution to a complicated problem
Source: https://quotesgram.com/img/bite-the-bullet-quotes/15201381/
Example: There is no 'silver bullet' that can prevent flooding entirely.
bitter pill to swallow
MEANING: bad news; something unpleasant to accept
EXAMPLE: After Gina spent her whole summer working as an intern for American Express, failing to get a full-time job offer from the company was a bitter pill to swallow.
blockbuster
MEANING: a big success; a huge hit
EXAMPLE: Eli Lilly made a lot of money with the prescription drug, Prozac. It was a real blockbuster.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WPn2mk91Ck
board of directors
MEANING: the group of people who shareholders choose to manage a company or organization
EXAMPLE: She currently serves on Prudential's board of directors.
bottom fall out/drop out
MEANING: to fall below an earlier lowest price
EXAMPLE: When the bottom fell out of the coffee market many companies had to stop doing business.
bottom line
MEANING: the total, the final figure on a balance sheet
The term bottom line can mean net earnings, net income, or earnings per share.
EXAMPLE: When they examined the bottom line of the company they decided not to invest in it.
Source: https://marketbusinessnews.com/financial-glossary/bottom-line-definition-meaning/
bottom out
MEANING: reach the lowest or worst point of something
EXAMPLE: The value of the stock has begun to bottom out and should soon begin to increase in value.
Source: https://www.a1intradaytips.in/bottom-out-nse-share-market.asp
Business as usual
MEANIN: After an unpleasant or unexpected event, this expression means that everything is continuing in a normal way in spite of the difficulties.
EXAMPLE: It was business as usual at the supermarket the day after the robbery.
boys/men in the backroom
MEANING: a group of men making decisions behind the scenes
EXAMPLE: The boys in the backroom told us that we must close down the factory as soon as possible.
break even
MEANING: have expenses equal to profits
EXAMPLE: After only three months the company was able to break even and start making profits.
budget squeeze/crunch
MEANING: a situation where there is not enough money in the budget
EXAMPLE: We have been going through a severe budget squeeze at our company and must begin to stop spending money in a wasteful manner.
Business is business
MEANING: A way of saying that in financial and commercial matters, friendship or personal feelings should not be allowed to have any influence.
EXAMPLE: I'll hire your brother only if he is the best candidate. I'm sorry but business is business!
buy off
MEANING: use a gift or money to divert someone from their duty or purpose
EXAMPLE: The land developer tried to buy off the politician but he was not successful.
buy out
MEANING: buy the ownership or a decisive share of something
EXAMPLE: The company was bought out by another large company in the textile industry.
by a long shot
MEANING: by a big difference, by far
EXAMPLE: The soap company was able to beat out the bids of the other companies by a long shot.
C
calculated risk
MEANING: an action that may fail but has a good chance to succeed
EXAMPLE: They took a calculated risk when they introduced the new computer screen onto the market.
(to) compare apples to oranges
MEANING: to compare two unlike things; to make an invalid comparison
EXAMPLE: Comparing a night at EconoLodge with a night at the Four Seasons is like comparing apples to oranges. One is a budget motel, and the other is a luxury hotel.
(to) cash in on
MEANING: to make money on; to benefit financially from
EXAMPLE: Jamie Smith, star of the TV show The Naked Chef, cashed in on his popularity by writing cookbooks and opening restaurants.
captain of industry
MEANING: a top corporation officer
EXAMPLE: The president of our company was a captain of industry and after he retired he was appointed to many government boards.
carry over
MEANING: save for another time
EXAMPLE: We were forced to carry over the sale to the Monday after the national holiday.
carry over
MEANING: transfer (a figure) from one column or book to another
EXAMPLE: Our company is still facing difficult times and we will have to carry over last year’s losses to this year.
carry the day
MEANING: win completely
EXAMPLE: The president’s new idea carried the day and everyone supported him energetically.
carry through
MEANING: put into action
EXAMPLE: The steel company carried through their plan to restructure all of their operations.
(to) climb the corporate ladder
MEANING: advance in one's career; the process of getting promoted and making it to senior management
EXAMPLE: You want to climb the corporate ladder? It helps to be productive and to look good in front of your boss.
crunch time
MEANING: a short period when there's high pressure to achieve a result
EXAMPLE: It's crunch time for stem cell researchers in Korea. New government regulations may soon make their work illegal.
Cash cow
MEANING: a product, service, or business division that generates a lot of cash for the company, without requiring much investment
EXAMPLE: With strong sales every year and a great brand name, Mercedes is a cash cow for DaimlerChrysler.
close out
MEANING: sell the whole of something, sell all the goods
EXAMPLE: They decided to close out the store and sell all of the remaining stock very cheap.
Cog in the machine
MEANING: If you say that someone is a cog in the machine, you mean that, while they are necessary, they only play a small part in an organization or plan.
EXAMPLE: The police quickly realized that the suspect was just a cog in the machine.
close the books
MEANING: stop taking orders, end a bookkeeping period
EXAMPLE: They usually close the books at the end of February every year.
cold calls
MEANING: call a potential customer from a list of persons one has never seen
EXAMPLE: When he first started to work at his company he was asked to make cold calls using the telephone book.
corporate ladder
MEANING: The order of position or title in a corporation. You will often hear this phrase with "climb," ascend" or "work one's way up" in front of it.
EXAMPLE: Adam is really working her way up the corporate ladder. At just 30, he's already a marketing director at Procter & Gamble.
come on strong
MEANING: overwhelm with excessively strong language or personality
EXAMPLE: The salesman came on too strong at the meeting and angered the other members of the team.
company man
MEANING: a person who always works hard and agrees with his employees
EXAMPLE: My father was a true company man and was always putting in an extra effort for his company.
(to) crunch numbers (v.)
MEANING: to crunch numbers - to perform financial calculations (often complex ones, or for a long period of time)
EXAMPLE: Joe quit his job as a financial analyst at Donox. He was tired of crunching numbers all day.
cut back
MEANING: use fewer or use less
EXAMPLE: The company has been cutting back on entertainment expenses for over a year now.
cut corners
MEANING: economize
EXAMPLE: We have been forced to economize on stationary expenses during these severe economic times.
cut off
MEANING: interrupt or stop
EXAMPLE: The speech of the president was cut off when the electricity went off in the building.
cut one’s losses
MEANING: do something to stop losing money or something
EXAMPLE: We should sell the old machinery as soon as possible and try and cut our losses.
D
deliver the goods
MEANING: succeed in doing well what is expected
EXAMPLE: The new owner of the company is not very popular, but he is able to deliver the goods.
double-check
MEANING: check something again to confirm
EXAMPLE: We were unable to double-check the costs of the new products before the price list was printed.
dog-eat-dog world
MEANING: a cruel and aggressive world in which people just look out for themselves
EXAMPLE: Your company fired you shortly after you had a heart attack? Well, it's certainly a dog-eat-dog world!
Doom and gloom
MEANING: A general atmosphere of pessimism, and a feeling that the situation is not going to improve, is referred to as doom and gloom.
EXAMPLE: Fortunately it's not doom and gloom for all businesses, in spite of the pandemic.
Downsize (v.)
MEANING: make (a company or organization) smaller by eliminating staff positions
EXAMPLE: The recession forced many companies to downsize.
Drag one's feet
MEANING: If you say that a person is dragging their feet, you think they are unnecessarily delaying a decision which is important to you.
EXAMPLE: Don’t drag your feet. Get serious and get it done.
(to) drum up business
MEANING: to create business; to find new customers
EXAMPLE:Sales have been very slow lately. Do you have any ideas for drumming up business?
Drastic times call for drastic measures
MEANING: When faced with a difficult situation, it is sometimes necessary to take actions which in normal circumstances would appear extreme.
EXAMPLE: Sales dropped so significantly that the company decided to drop the product line. Drastic times call for drastic measures!
E
Earning per share (EPS)
MEANING: A traditional method used for determining corporate value and widely used to measure company’s stock performance.
EXAMPLE: The broker compares the value of different companies using the EPS before recommending a trade to any of his clients.
E-Commerce (n.)
MEANING: commercial transactions conducted electronically on the Internet.
EXAMPLE: The advent of e-commerce has allowed people and companies to open shops and read more customers.
end user
MEANING: users of the product or service
EXAMPLE: Engineers should be able to write things most end users can understand.
entrepreneur
MEANING: someone who starts their own business, especially when this involves seeing a new opportunity:
EXAMPLE: He was one of the entrepreneurs of the 60s who made their money in property.
F
face value
MEANING: the official worth or trust of something
EXAMPLE: Although the face value of the postage stamp was very low it sold at the auction for much money.
(to) fast track a project
MEANING: to make a project a high priority; to speed up the time frame of a project
EXAMPLE: Let's fast track this project. We've heard rumors that our competitors are developing similar products.
(to) face the music
MEANING: to admit that there's a problem; to deal with an unpleasant situation realistically
EXAMPLE: Enron executives finally had to face the music and admit that they were involved in some illegal activities.
fair play
MEANING: justice, equal and right action to someone
EXAMPLE: The company is very good to work for as they always use fair play when they are bargaining with their employees.
figure out
MEANING: find an answer by thinking about something
EXAMPLE: Everyone in our company is trying to figure out what our boss is going to do with the new equipment.
fill the bill
MEANING: be just what is needed
EXAMPLE: That new machine should fill the bill as to what we need to finish the job.
finger in the pie
MEANING: involved in what is happening, receiving money for something
EXAMPLE: The new manager has his finger in the pie in all aspects of our company’s business.
G
gain ground
MEANING: go forward, make progress
EXAMPLE: Our company has been gaining ground in our attempt to be the best in the industry.
(to) generate lots of buzz
MEANING: to cause many people to start talking about a product or service, usually in a positive way that increases sales
EXAMPLE: Procter & Gamble generated lots of buzz for its new toothpaste by giving away free samples to people on the streets of New York City.
Get the hang of something
MEANING: When you get the hang of an activity, you now know how to do it correctly.
EXAMPLE: I’ll teach you how to use the design program – you’ll get the hang of it after a while.
get a break
MEANING: get an opportunity or good deal
EXAMPLE: We were able to get a break on the price of the paint and saved a lot of money.
get off the ground
MEANING: make a successful beginning, go ahead
EXAMPLE: We were unable to get the new product off the ground and will have to wait until next year.
give someone the green light
MEANING: give permission to go ahead with a project
EXAMPLE: Our boss gave us the green light to begin work on the new sales promotion.
Golden opportunity
MEANING: golden opportunity is a favorable time or excellent occasion which should not be missed.
EXAMPLE: Don’t miss this golden opportunity.
Go out of business
MEANING: If a shop, firm or enterprise goes out of business, it closes down or goes bankrupt.
EXAMPLE: If the new road bypasses the town, a lot of shops will go out of business.
go public
MEANING: sell shares of a privately owned company to the public
EXAMPLE: The stock of the Internet company rose very quickly when they went public.
go through with
MEANING: finish, do as planned or agreed
EXAMPLE: We have decided not to go through with our plans to launch the new product until we have solved all of its problems.
Golden handshake
MEANING: A golden handshake is a generous sum of money given to a person when they leave a company or retire (sometimes given to encourage early retirement).
EXAMPLE: This golden handshake was separate from the salary that they had been paid while working in the farm.
H
hard sell
MEANING: sell something by being very aggressive
EXAMPLE: The car salesman gave us a hard sell so we decided to go to another dealer.
Headquarters
MEANING: The main offices of an organization such as the army, the police, or a business company:
EXAMPLE: Are you moving the headquarters again?
(to) have a lot on one's plate
MEANING: to have a lot to do; to have too much to do; to have too much to cope with
EXAMPLE: Carlos turned down the project, explaining that he already had a lot on his plate.
heads will roll
MEANING: someone will be punished
EXAMPLE: Heads will roll when our boss learns about the money that we have lost recently.
Hive of activity
MEANING: hive of activity (also: a beehive) refers to a place where there are lots of things happening, and everyone is very busy, is called a hive of activity.
EXAMPLE: When I arrived at the office, it was already a hive of activity.
I
in black and white
MEANING: in writing
EXAMPLE: The company refused to deal with the customer’s complaints until they saw them in black and white.
In the doldrums
MEANING: o say that a person, a business or the economy in general is in the doldrums means that the situation is gloomy and that nothing new is happening.
EXAMPLE: Despite the recent measures, the economy remains in the doldrums.
in charge of
MEANING: in control of, responsible for
EXAMPLE: My sister has been in charge of buying supplies at her company for many years.
in short supply
MEANING: not enough, in less than the amount or number needed
EXAMPLE: Experienced computer programmers are in short supply at our company.
in stock
MEANING: have something ready to sell or use
EXAMPLE: They didn’t have any computer printer ribbons in stock at the store.
in the black
MEANING: successful or making money
EXAMPLE: The new company has been in the black for over a year now.
in the long run
MEANING: in the final result
EXAMPLE: The company has been losing money recently but in the long run they should do very well.
In the market for
MEANING: ready to buy something
EXAMPLE: We have been in the market for a new computer for a long time but still we haven’t bought one.
in the red
MEANING: losing money, unprofitable
EXAMPLE: The company began to go into the red when the price of oil began to rise rapidly.
in the works
MEANING: in preparation, being planned or worked on
EXAMPLE: The camera company has a new automatic camera in the works but nobody knows about it yet.
Inventory
MEANING: a detailed list of all the things in a place:
A set of 24 gilded chairs appear on the inventory of the house for 1736.
EXAMPLE: The store is closed while we’re taking inventory (= counting and listing all the goods).
J
jack up
MEANING: make a price higher
EXAMPLE: The steel companies decided to jack up the price of steel at the beginning of the year.
(to) jump the gun
MEANING: to start doing something too soon or ahead of everybody else
EXAMPLE: The company jumped the gun by releasing a new product before the results of the consumer testing were in.
K
keep books
MEANING: keep records of money gained and spent
EXAMPLE: The new assistant to the sales manager has no experience keeping books and has made many mistakes.
(to) keep one's eye on the prize
MEANING: to stay focused on the end result; to not let small problems get in the way of good results
EXAMPLE: I know it's difficult going to class after work, but just keep your eye on the prize. At the end of next year, you'll have your MBA.
keep track of
MEANING: keep a count or record, stay informed
EXAMPLE: They have been making a great effort to keep track of the number of visitors to their store.
kickback
MEANING: money paid illegally for favourable treatment
EXAMPLE: The construction company was taken to court for giving kickbacks to the local politicians.
L
Loan
MEANING: a thing that is borrowed, especially a sum of money that is expected to be paid back with interest.
EXAMPLE: They say that each borrower can take out a loan for $4,000.
M
make a go of
MEANING: produce good results, succeed
EXAMPLE: Although he works very hard in his small business he has been unable to make a go of it and may soon go out of business.
Margin
MEANING: the profit made on a product or service
EXAMPLE: Our increased profits are due to improved margins and successful cost control.
mean business
MEANING: be serious
EXAMPLE: Our boss means business when he tells everyone to try and work harder.
Monkey business (Idiom)
MEANING: An activity which is organized in a deceitful or dishonest way is called monkey business.
EXAMPLE: The results announced seem suspicious - I think there's some monkey business going on.
my gut tells me
MEANING: I have a strong feeling that; my intuition tells me
EXAMPLE: t's true that I don't know him well, but my gut tells me that James is the right person for the sales director position.
N
number-cruncher
MEANING: an accountant, someone who works with numbers
EXAMPLE: Our president is a good number-cruncher and understands about the finances of our company.
mum's the word
MEANING: Keep quiet about something. Tell no one about it.
EXAMPLE: Please don't tell anybody about our new project. Remember: mum's the word!
Nuts and bolts
MEANING: The nuts and bolts of something are the detailed facts and the practical aspects.
EXAMPLE: We need to discuss the nuts and bolts of the proposal before going any further.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained
MEANING: This expression means that you cannot expect to achieve anything if you risk nothing.
EXAMPLE: He's going to ask his boss for a promotion even though he has done nothing. You can't expect to achieve anything if you never take any risks.
O
on hand
MEANING: in one’s possession, ready
EXAMPLE: We didn’t have any supplies on hand and were unable to finish the job.
on credit
MEANING: buy something without paying cash
EXAMPLE: My friend had no money so he decided to buy the furniture on credit.
Overhead
MEANING: the regular and necessary costs, such as rent and heating, that are involved in operating a business:
EXAMPLE: We need to reduce our overheads.
on the block
MEANING: for sale
EXAMPLE: As soon as they purchased the company they began to put some of the equipment on the block.
P
pay off (v.)
MEANING: make a profit, be successful
EXAMPLE: The furniture manufacturer was unable to pay off their loan and had to go out of business.
(to) pass the buck
MEANING: to shift the blame; to blame somebody else
EXAMPLE: It's your fault. Don't try to pass the buck!
Personnel (n.)
MEANING: the people who are employed in a company, organization, or one of the armed forces:
EXAMPLE: The new director is likely to make major changes in personnel.
piece/slice of the action
MEANING: a share in the activity or the profits of something
EXAMPLE: The inventor wanted a large piece of the action of the profits from the new computer that he had invented.
(to) pull one's weight
MEANING: to do one's share of the work
EXAMPLE: Don't rely on others to get your job done. You need to pull your own weight.
Play the game
MEANING: If you play the game, you accept to do things according to the rules laid down by others.
EXAMPLE: Working here successfully means that you know how to play the game, in addition to having necessary technical skills, of course.
prospective employees
MEANING: any person who has made application to an employer, whether written or oral, to become an employee
EXAMPLE: A prospective employee is someone who is not yet an employee, but wants to be.
(to) pull the plug
MEANING: To put a stop to a project or initiative, usually because it's not going well; to stop something from moving forward; to discontinue
EXAMPLE: After losing millions of dollars drilling for oil in the gulf and finding nothing, the oil company finally pulled the plug on its exploration project.
Q
Qualify (v.)
MEANING: be entitled to a particular benefit or privilege by fulfilling a necessary condition.
EXAMPLE: Do I qualify as an accountant?
• Your purchase did not qualify for a discount.
They do not qualify for compensation payments.
Quotation
MEANING: a formal statement setting out the estimated cost for a particular job or service
EXAMPLE: The quotation is higher than
expected.
R
R & D
MEANING: Research and development
EXAMPLE: If we want to get ahead of our competitors, we ought to invest more in R and D.
rein in
MEANING: to control; to cut back on
EXAMPLE: Our marketing budget has gotten too large. We need to rein in ad spending.
reality check
MEANING: Think realistically about this situation
EXAMPLE: You think we can start selling our products through our website next month? Time for a reality check! Nobody at our company knows anything about e-commerce.
red ink
MEANING: debt (red ink on a financial statement)
EXAMPLE: The automobile company has been drowning in red ink since the US dollar began to rise.
run short
MEANING: not have enough in quantity
EXAMPLE: They ran short of gasoline at the gas station and had to close early.
S
saddled with debt
MEANING: burdened with debt
EXAMPLE: Our sister company is saddled with a great amount of debt and should be sold as soon as possible.
Sales force
MEANING: all the employees of a company whose job is persuading customers to buy their company's products or services
EXAMPLE: It is impossible to manage a sales force without a tight control over the sales force turnover rate.
(to) scale back one's hours
MEANING: to reduce the number of hours one works
EXAMPLE: When Christine had a baby, she decided to scale back her hours and just work part-time. Synonym: to cut back one's hours
sell like hotcakes
MEANING: sell very quickly
EXAMPLE: The children’s toys were selling like hotcakes at the end of the year.
sell out
MEANING: sell all of a product
EXAMPLE:
Every year at least one company sells out all of their products which frustrates many customers.
Shape up or ship out!
MEANING: improve your behavior or leave; if you don't improve your performance, you're going to get fired
EXAMPLE: Martin finally had enough of Todd's negative attitude. "Shape up or ship out!" he told Todd.
Sleeping /silent partner
MEANING: This term refers to a person who invests money in a business without taking an active part in its management, and whose association with the enterprise is not public knowledge.
EXAMPLE: He works alone, but his business is partly financed by a sleeping partner.
Slice/share of the cake (or pie)
MEANING: When people feel entitled to a share of the benefits or profits, they want a (larger) slice of the cake.
EXAMPLE: Since profits are higher this year, the workers feel they deserve a bigger slice of the cake.
strike while the iron is hot
MEANING: take advantage of an opportunity
EXAMPLE: We decided to strike while the iron was hot and began to market the product around the time of the Olympics.
sweetheart deal
MEANING: a deal made between friends so that both may make a big profit
EXAMPLE: We were able to make a sweetheart deal with our landlord and got the rent greatly reduced.
T
take a nosedive
MEANING: collapse, fail, decrease in value
EXAMPLE: The stock market took a nosedive when the earnings of the oil company began to weaken.
take on
MEANING: to give a job to or hire someone
EXAMPLE: The company took on many new workers during the busy holiday season.
take over
MEANING: take control or possession of something, take charge or responsibility
EXAMPLE: The government decided to take over the bank after it declared bankruptcy.
take public
MEANING: sell shares in a company to the general public
EXAMPLE: We decided it was necessary to take our company public in order to raise money to expand our facilities.
take stock
MEANING: count the items of merchandise or supplies in stock, take inventory
EXAMPLE: The department store closes down for 3 days every March in order to take stock.
Take the plunge
MEANING: If you take the plunge, you finally decide to venture into something you really want to do, in spite of the risks involved.
EXAMPLE: Mark and Julie finally took the plunge and opened a guesthouse.
Take the floor
MEANING: When someone takes the floor, they rise to make a speech or presentation.
EXAMPLE: When I take the floor, my speech will be short." he said.
to tap into
MEANING: to connect with; to get in touch with; to use as a resource for your own benefit
EXAMPLE: If you're looking for a job, experts say the best way is to tap into your personal network.
throw cold water on
MEANING: discourage, forbid
EXAMPLE: The managers threw cold water on the plans to close down the factory for one week in August.
though the roof
MEANING: very high; higher than expected
EXAMPLE: No wonder people are complaining about the cost of heating their homes. Oil prices have gone through the roof!
throw money at something
MEANING: try to solve a problem by spending money on it
EXAMPLE: The president of our company is willing to throw a lot of money at the problem in the hope of solving it.
tight spot
MEANING: a difficult situation
EXAMPLE: The computer manufacturing company has been in a tight spot since the shortage of computer chips appeared.
Trade secret
MEANING: This expression, which refers to the secrecy of a company's production methods, is often used teasingly.
EXAMPLE: "Can you give me the recipe for your lemon meringue pie? No way -that's a trade secret!"
turn over
MEANING: to buy and then sell something to customers
EXAMPLE: The turn-over at that discount store is very rapid.
U
Underemployed
MEANING: (of a person) not having enough paid work or not doing work that makes full use of their skills and abilities / Employed at a low-paying job that requires less skill or training than one possesses.
EXAMPLE: Most migrants are likely to be poor and underemployed.
Unemployment compensation (n.)
MEANING: Payment made by a government agency to workers who lose their jobs.
EXAMPLE: You are entitled to receive some unemployment compensation.
(The) upper hand
MEANING: If a person or organization gets or gains the upper hand, they take control over something.
EXAMPLE: Our competitors have gained the upper hand.
Up and running
MEANING: If a business or a plan is up and running, it has started and is functioning successfully.
EXAMPLE: In some countries you can have a company up and running in a very short time.
V
Value added (n.)
MEANING: The process of enhancing a basic product or service
EXAMPLE: We need to provide value added to our existing customers.
W
Wear many hats
MEANING: Someone who wears many hats has to do many different types of tasks or play a variety of roles.
EXAMPLE: Our company is small so the employees need to be flexible and accept to wear many hats.
Win-win
MEANING: The term win-win refers to a situation or proposition where both or all parties benefit from the outcome.
EXAMPLE: There were smiles all round when the contract was signed - it was a win-win situation.
work out
MEANING: plan, develop
EXAMPLE: I spent the weekend trying to work out the budget estimates for next year.
Working hours
MEANING: the amount of time someone spends at work during a day:
EXAMPLE: We need flexible/extended/reduced working hours
write off
MEANING: remove from a business record, cancel a debt
EXAMPLE: It was impossible for the bank to collect the money so they were forced to write off the loan.
X
X
MEANING: An unknown or unnamed factor, thing, or person.
EXAMPLE: We have spent X number of dollars…
Y
Year-to-Date (YTD)
MEANING: Year to date (YTD) refers to the period of time beginning the first day of the current calendar year or fiscal year up to the current date.
EXAMPLE: For the year to date, sales have fallen by 15.4%.
Yield
MEANING: The rate of return on an investment / an amount of something positive, such as food or profit, that is produced or supplied
EXAMPLE: Although the 3% yield was not very good, it was better than other companies.
yes man
MEANING: An employee who always agrees with the boss or does whatever the boss says
EXAMPLE: Don't expect Larry to argue with the boss. He's a yes man.
Z
Zombie firms
MEANING: firms that are unable to cover debt servicing costs from current profits over an extended period
EXAMPLE: The current pandemic has resulted in more zombie forms in the market.
Zoning (adjective)
MEANING: the act of deciding, or the decision that has been taken about, what particular use an area should have
EXAMPLE: The town’s new zoning establishes a height limit of nine stories on any new building.
London has strict zoning laws to preserve neighborhoods.