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Business Word/Phrase of the Day

word-phrase-descEvery day we publish a business word or phrase together with audio pronunciation, phonetics, definition and example sentences. This is a great way to improve your workplace vocabulary as well as your pronunciation. To receive 'Business Word/Phrase of the Day' by email, just subscribe to our newsletter from the link above. 

SADDLED WITH DEBT  

Phrase

  • to be burdened with debt.
Example Sentence: Our company is saddled with debt and must do something about it quickly.
 

IN THE LONG RUN  

Phrase

  • over a long period of time.
Example Sentence: The company has been losing money recently but in the long run they should be ok.
 

GO BELLY UP  

Phrase

  • to go out of business because of financial problem.
Example Sentence: The small computer company went belly up several months ago.
 

BANKROLL SOMEONE bæŋkˌroʊl

Phrase

  • to supply someone with money, to finance someone.
Example Sentence: The movie actor bankrolled his son while the son was producing his first movie.
 

INNOVATE ˈɪnəˌveɪt

Verb

  • to create, develop or design new technology or products.
Example Sentence: The mobile phone industry constantly needs to innovate.
 

TO FLOP flɒp

Verb

  • to fail completely.
Example Sentence: Their new line of dishwashers flopped in Asia because they did not take into account size differences.
 

TO COME TO A HALT  

Phrase

  • come to a stop in the process.
Example Sentence: The expansion of his company came to a halt when one of his employees embezzled a considerable
 

TO EMBEZZLE ɛmˈbɛzəl

Verb

  • to steal money that belongs to your employer.
Example Sentence: The bank's manager was able to embezzle thousands of dollars from his employer.
 

TAX AVOIDANCE tæks əˈvɔɪdns

Noun

  • Is working within the law to minimise the tax you owe.
Example Sentence: Richard has a really switched-on accountant who specialises in tax avoidance for self-employed people.
 

SUPPLY AND DEMAND  

Phrase

  • Is the idea that the price of goods and services depends on how much of something is being sold and how many people want to buy it.
Example Sentence: If we are going to remain competitive, we have no choice but to lower our prices. There are simply too many hotels in the city. It’s supply and demand!
 

STANDING ORDER /stændɪŋ ɔrdər/

Noun

  • A standing order is an instruction to a bank to pay some money at regular times to another bank account.
Example Sentence: The electricity company requires all its customers to settle their bills by standing order.
 

PUT ASIDE /pʊt əˈsaɪd/

Phrasal Verb

  • to save money for a specific purpose.
Example Sentence: I put aside a little every month for a deposit on a house.
 

EXCEPT ɪkˈsɛpt

preposition

  • Except is a preposition meaning not including or but not.
Example Sentences: The museum is open daily except Monday(s).
The government has few options except to keep interest rates high.
 

TO SELL LIKE HOTCAKES  

phrase

  • If something sells like hotcakes, it sells very quickly in large numbers.
Example Sentences: When the new iPod came out, it sold like hotcakes.
All the manufacturer did was add a new keyboard and the product sold like hotcakes.
 

CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT  

phrase

  • department within a company responsible for customer care, including complaints
Example Sentences:All complaints are handled by the customer service department.
Sheila Tam has been head of the customer service department for 5 years.
 
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