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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. 

TABLE A DISCUSSION  

Phrase

  • to postpone a discussion until a later time.
Example Sentence: We tabled the discussion about the salary issue until the next meeting.
 

GET OFF THE GROUND  

Phrase

  • o make a successful beginning.
Example Sentence: We were unable to get the new product off the ground but we will try again.
 

IN THE BLACK  

Phrase

  • to be successful, to be making money, to be profitable.
Example Sentence: The new company has been in the black for many years now.
 

BUDGET CRUNCH/SQUEEZE  

Phrase

  • a situation where there is not enough money in the company.
Example Sentence: There is a severe budget squeeze at our company and we must stop wasting money.
 

ASSIGN əˈsaɪn

Verb

  • to give a particular job or task to somebody.
Example Sentence: The job of finding more seats for the event was assigned to Paul.
 

BANDWAGON bændˌwægən

Noun

  • an activity or popular view that a lot of people join or share, usually because it is fashionable; a current trend .
Example Sentence: Among others a lot of brand-name sports companies have jumped on the Japanese tsunami bandwagon and campaign with it.
 

TO PLUMMET plʌmɪt

Verb

  • to decrease/go down very quickly (and perhaps unexpectedly).
Example Sentence: We wanted to sell our share in the business but then share prices plummeted and we decided to wait some more time.
 

FIERCE fɪərs

Adjective

  • aggressive, violent OR extremely active.
Example Sentences: He became unexpectedly fierce when he was informed he was going to be dismissed.
There has always been fierce competition between our companies, but in our private lives we are best of friends.
 

INDIRECT TAXATION ɪndəˈrɛkt, tækˈseɪʃən

Noun

  • includes taxes which are levied in an indirect way rather than being charged directly on an individual's income or estate.
Example Sentences: Tax on products, such as cigarettes, alcohol and petrol, is also a form of indirect taxation.
High indirect taxation tends to hit the poor far more than the rich.
 

CAPITAL kæpɪtl

Noun

  • Money used for producing more wealth or for starting a new business.
Example Sentences: She leaves her capital untouched in the bank and lives off the interest.
We've put 20 000 capital into the business, but we're unlikely to see any return for a few years.
 

INVISIBLE EXPORTS /ɪnˈvɪzəbəl ɪkˈspɔrt/

Noun

  • Services supplied to foreign countries such as banking and other financial services are called invisible exports
Example Sentences: Invisible exports now make up more than half of the United Kingdom's GDP
 

A TELLER /tɛlər/

Noun

  • the person in the bank who takes deposits and withdrawals inside the bank.
Example Sentence: Several tellers were busy helping bank customers in the lobby.
 

LATTER lætər

adjective

  • Latter is an adjective meaning near or towards the end of something.
Example Sentences: Building of the new library should begin in the latter part of next year.
In the latter stages of the fight he began to get tired.
 

TO STAY AHEAD OF THE PACK  

phrase

  • To stay ahead of the pack is to maintain a business advantage over your competitors.
Example Sentences: If you want to succeed in this business you needto stay ahead of the pack.
The only way we can stay ahead of the pack is by making our products the best.
 

CUSTOMS /kuhs-tuh mz/

noun

  • Government agency entrusted with enforcement of laws and regulations to collect and protect import-revenues, and to regulate and document the flow of goods in and out of the country.
Example Sentences:I was searched by customs when I entered China on business last month.
Customs calculated that the necessary duty to be paid on the shipment was $9,560.
 
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