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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. 

ALLIANCE əˈlaɪəns

Noun

  • a group which is held together by an agreement, especially political or military.
Example Sentence: The UK and US formed a military alliance in Iraq.
 

SUM SOMETHING UP  

Phrasal Verb

  • to summarise something; to outline the main points.
Example Sentence: Can we sum up what was said in the meeting.
 

ACQUISITION ækwəˈzɪʃən

Noun

  • the process of getting or buying something, especially another business
Example Sentence: The company will pay $210 million in cash to complete the acquisition.
 

OFFHAND ɔfˈhænd

Adverb

  • without preparation and without thinking about something.
Example Sentence: He couldn't tell me offhand whether the item in question is tradeable or not. He promised to check the details and then get back to me.
 

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING  

Noun

  • one of the most important meetings of the shareholders of a company or the members of an organization, where they discuss results of the past year, make decisions about future plans, discuss budget etc.
Example Sentence: I hope they will accept my report at the AGM next week – I've been working on it for quite a while and it may have an effect on my promotion prospects.
 

TO SOW THE SEEDS  

Phrase

  • to start a process etc that is going to have a certain result.
Example Sentence: Capital inflows could sow the seeds of a new renaissance.
 

TO CEDE sid

Verb

  • to give rights, some land, an area, a part of something to another person/company/country etc, usually unwillingly.
Example Sentence: In 1664 New Amsterdam was ceded to the British.
 

TO STICK TO THE POINT  

Phrase

  • to continue with a topic without changing it or digressing from it.
Example Sentence: Could you please stick to the point? We've been listening to you for long minutes now and you still haven't explained your real reasons.
 

FORECAST fɔrˌkæst

Noun

  • prediction; a statement concerning the future of something (e.g. a market segment, a product, exchange rates).
Example Sentence: The agency issued a gloomy forecast about the future of the sector.
 

TO REVIVE rɪˈvaɪv

Verb

  • to make something strong and healthy again after a difficult period.
Example Sentence: Policy makers have been struggling to revive the economy and experts say the right measures have been introduced to this end.
 

TO LUBRICATE lubrɪˌkeɪt

Verb

  • to make something run/operate more smoothly.
Example Sentence: The government intended to lubricate the financial wheels with the help of a series of measures.
 

TO LOSE OUT TO  

Phrasal Verb

  • to not get a deal/business because a competitor has offered better conditions/lower prices etc and thus got it
Example Sentence: Artists of the music and film industry are losing out to piracy so it's a question of life and death to work out ways in which to get back at least some of the revenues.
 

TO QUADRUPLE kwɒˈdrupəl

Verb

  • to become four times bigger.
Example Sentence: Sales of this particular product have quadrupled in the past 2 months owing to the especially successful marketing campaign.
 

CASUAL WORK kæʒuəl wɜrk

Noun

  • work that is not permanent, with no obligation for the employer to provide the usual employment conditions such as sick leave.
Example Sentence: Casual jobs which last for a few days only are available throughout the year in my favourite country, New Zealand.
 

LAISSEZ-FAIRE lɛseɪ ˈfɛr

Noun

  • a style of management when the manager sets the task and then allows the employees to complete it with more or less independence and with only a minimal involvement from his side.
Example Sentence: The laissez-faire management style of the CEO really inspires colleagues and spurs growth.
 
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