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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. 

RED INK rɛd ɪŋk

Phrase

  • debt (the red ink on a financial statement).
Example Sentence: The automobile company has much red ink because of the bad economic conditions.
 

PUT ONE’S NOSE TO THE GRINDSTONE  

Phrase

  • to work diligently/hard.
Example Sentence: I put my nose to the grindstone and finished the job before the weekend.
 

PUT (SOMETHING) ON HOLD  

Phrase

  • to postpone a project.
Example Sentence: The construction company put the project on hold while they researched the background.
 

PUT (SOMEONE) THROUGH  

Phrase

  • to transfer someone to someone else's telephone.
Example Sentence: I phoned the credit card company and they quickly put me through to a supervisor.
 

PUT (SOMEONE) ON HOLD  

Phrase

  • to disconnect someone temporarily from the telephone.
Example Sentence: I phoned the bank but they put me on hold before someone spoke to me.
 

PREFERRED CUSTOMER prɪˈfɜrd kʌstəmər

Phrase

  • a customer who does much business with you.
Example Sentence: The man is a preferred customer and he always receives his products soon after he orders them.
 

PLUG A PRODUCT  

Phrase

  • to promote a product.
Example Sentence: The soccer star makes a lot of money when he agrees to plug a product.
 

PIECE/SLICE OF THE ACTION  

Phrase

  • a share in the activity or the profits of something.
Example Sentence: The inventor wanted a piece of the action from the new computer that he had designed.
 

PAY OFF /peɪ ɒf/

Phrasal Verb

  • to finish paying all money that is owed.
Example Sentence: We should be able to pay off the mortgage within ten years.
 

OVERNIGHT (SOMETHING) oʊvərˈnaɪt

Phrase

  • to send a document or package somewhere for delivery the next day.
Example Sentence: We decided to overnight the new contract to our supplier.
 

OUTSOURCE (SOMETHING)  

Phrase

  • to use outside sources rather than those within a company.
Example Sentence: The manufacturing company outsourced many of their products.
 

OUT OF THE LOOP  

Phrase

  • to not be involved or taking part in a job.
Example Sentence: I was out of the loop during the negotiations and did not know what was going on.
 

OUT OF STOCK  

Phrase

  • not available for immediate sale.
Example Sentence: The toys are out of stock and we will have to wait several weeks before they are available.
 

ON THE BLOCK  

Phrase

  • to be for sale, to go on sale.
Example Sentence: After we bought the company we began to put some of the equipment on the block.
 

ON HAND ɒn hænd

Phrase

  • to be in one's possession, to be ready.
Example Sentence: We did not have enough supplies on hand and were unable to finish the job.
 
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