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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. 

COMMODITIES kəˈmɒdɪti

04 Jun 2022

Noun

  • Products such as agricultural products and natural resources (wood, oil and metals) that are traded on a separate, authorized commodities exchange.
Example Sentence: The country's most valuable commodities include tin and diamonds.
 

CAPITAL kæpɪtl

03 Jun 2022

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.
 

BLUE CHIP STOCKS  

01 Jun 2022

Phrase

  • Stocks of leading companies with a reputation for stable growth and earnings.
Example Sentence: Coca Cola and BP are examples of blue chip stocks.
 

BID bɪd

31 May 2022

Verb

  • The price a buyer is willing to offer for shares in a company.
Example Sentences: When trading online, be careful that you don't bid too high for the shares.
How much did you bid for the shares?
 

WIN-WIN wɪn wɪn

30 May 2022

Phrase

  • describes a situation, plan, etc. in which you cannot lose, whatever choice of action you make, or in which all the groups involved will gain benefits.
Example Sentences: This is a win-win situation for her, because whoever wins this match, she's still going to be champion.
Promoting fair-trade is a win-win option, because everyone, both producers and consumers, benefits.
 

TOUCH BASE tʌtʃ beɪs

29 May 2022

Phrase

  • If you touch base with someone, you get in touch and communicate briefly with them on some topic.
Example Sentence: Nancy, I urgently need to touch base with you on the Helegon project. Do you have any time to meet this afternoon?
 

WHITE COLLAR WORKERS  

28 May 2022

Phrase

  • Are people who work in offices, doing work that needs mental rather than physical effort. White collar workers are generally better educated and more highly paid.
Example Sentence: Jim is a typical white collar worker – university-educated, middle-class background, working for a well-known high-street bank.
 

BLUE COLLAR WORKERS  

27 May 2022

Phrase

  • Are people who do physical or unskilled work in a factory or outdoors rather than office work. Blue-collar workers are often poorly educated and poorly paid.
Example Sentence: More than 500 blue-collar workers, employed by the mining company, have gone on strike. They’re demanding better pay and working conditions.
 

SUPPLY AND DEMAND  

26 May 2022

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!
 

OUTSOURCING aʊtˌsɔrs

25 May 2022

Verb

  • Is when one company uses a different company to provide some product or service.
Example Sentence: British Airways outsources its in-flight catering to American firm Gate Gourmet.
 

GARDEN LEAVE gɑrdn liv

24 May 2022

Phrase

  • Paid cooling off period, typically three months, that your contract stipulates you cannot work before starting a new job. This is used by financial firms, in particular, to prevent people walking straight into a new job with hot information.
Example Sentence: He quit and was offered a job by one of the main competitors. He’s on garden leave for a few months.
 

THE BIG PICTURE  

23 May 2022

Phrase

  • The overall situation, e.g. when working on a small aspect of a project it is helpful to remember the project as a whole.
Example Sentence: John, you’re not looking at the big picture. We have to look at where we want to be in 12 months time, not focus on short-term goals.
 

TEAM PLAYER tim pleɪər

22 May 2022

Phrase

  • Is someone who is good at working closely with other people.
Example Sentences: ABC Bank Ltd requires a team player committed to quality management.
He is a good team player and works well with all his colleagues.
 

TAKE OWNERSHIP teɪk oʊnərˌʃɪp

21 May 2022

Phrase

  • If you are asked to take ownership of something, you need to get serious about a piece of work and be fully responsible for it.
Example Sentence: I think it's up to you to really take ownership of this project – no-one else has the knowledge, skills or time to get fully involved.
 

STATE-OF-THE-ART  

20 May 2022

Phrase

  • This phrase is used to describe something which is very modern and uses the most recent ideas and methods
Example Sentence: The control panel uses all the newest technology and is considered state-of-the-art.
 
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