corporate jargon 1

Question 1

Pay dearly for sth: to suffer a lot as a result of a particular action or event:: If you refuse to cooperate with us, you will pay dearly for it.

Question 2

Pick one’s brain: obtain information by questioning someone who is better informed about a subject than oneself. Can I pick your brain for a second?

Question 3

Key learnings: refers to the essential or most important knowledge, insights, or lessons gained from a particular experience, training, or educational process: “One of the key learnings from the project was the importance of clear communication among team members to ensure the successful completion of tasks.”

Question 4

Dogfood –v / Dogfooding - noun [ U ] US informal /ˈdɑːɡ.fuː.dɪŋ/: a company’s use of its own product, as a way of testing and helping to sell it: . “Dude, they should have spent more time dogfooding that app!”./ Most software companies understand the benefits of dogfooding.

Question 5

Boil the ocean: undertaking an impossible task or making a task unnecessarily difficult.: Your suggestion that we solve all of these problems at one time is boiling the ocean

Question 6

crush verb (PERFORM WELL):[ T ] informal: to perform extremely well in a particular situation, competition, etc.: The company isn’t just crushing the commercial realm, it is also innovating corporate culture.

Question 7

it is what it is -idiom informal: used to say that a situation cannot be changed and must be accepted: We’re all imperfect human beings in an imperfect world. It is what it is.

Question 8

Wordsmith-n: a person who has skill with using words, especially in writing:In today’s review section Anthony Edwards, playwright, poet, novelist and general wordsmith, talks about his glittering career.

Wordsmithing-n: The making of changes to a text to improve clarity and style, as opposed to content.: We’ve drafted an agreement, but there’s still a bit of wordsmithing

Question 9

start/set/get the ball rolling –idiom: to do something that starts an activity, or to start doing something in order to encourage other people to do the same: I decided to set the ball rolling and got up to dance.

Question 10

be par for the course -idiom disapproving SYN norm: If a type of behaviour, event, or situation is par for the course, it is not good but it is normal or as you would expect: The school budget is going to be cut again this year, but then that’s par for the course.

Answer 10

a

Question 11

(go) back to the drawing board : idiom: to start planning something again because the first plan failed: The current system just isn’t working – we need to go back to the drawing board and start afresh.

Question 12

Apples-to-apples comparison: comparison is a comparison between related or similar things. The idiom is often used hyphenated.: If you compare the speed of your new car against the speed of a train, that’s not an apples-to-apples comparison.

Question 13

Wipe/sweep/mop the floor with someone: idiom informal: to defeat someone very easily: “I hear Italy beat France in the semifinals last night.” “Beat them? They wiped the floor with them!”

Question 14

Rock star –n: : a highly accomplished and well-regarded person in a particular field: Pale-faced and bespectacled, the 43-year-old Chudzinski is an emerging rock star in NFL coaching circles.

Question 15

Wear too many hats’ = đội quá nhiều chiếc mũ -> nghĩa là nhận quá nhiều nhiệm vụ/vai trò cùng một lúc: We know restaurant owners, chefs, and managers, more often than not, wear too many hats, leading to upwards of 60 to 80+ hours of work per week.

upwards of : preposition: if a number, value, etc. is upwards of something, it is at least that amount or more: The rescue plan is expected to cost upwards of $10 billion.

Answer 15

a

Question 16

have thin/thick skin –idiom -n: to be easily/not easily upset by criticism: I don’t worry about what he says - I have a very thick skin.

Question 17

Thick/thin-skinned adjective: not/easily hurt by criticism or easily made unhappy: I do not think that men of ability are so thin-skinned as he seems to suggest.

Question 18

hit the ground running: to start doing something successfully without any delay: Law graduates are expected to hit the ground running.

Question 19

Schedule TBD: TBD (also tbd): written abbreviation for to be decided or to be determined: used when something has not yet been decided or is not yet known:The lecture will be on March 6, location TBD.

Question 20

Proven track ˌrecord in/of sth: noun [singular] :all of a person’s or organization’s past achievements, successes, or failures, which show how well they have done something in the past and how well they are likely to do in the future
track record in: We’re looking for someone with a proven track record in selling advertising.
track record of: The fund has a good track record of investing in the equity market.

Question 21

Close/end of play: If someone requests something by ‘close of play’ – a sporting term that signals the end of a match – they need it by the end of the working day. They may also use the acronym ‘COP’ (and spell out the letters in spoken conversation). For example: ‘I’ll get the report to you by close of play, Jared.’

Question 22

take a rain check (on something) : idiom informal: used to tell someone that you cannot accept an invitation now, but would like to do so at a later time: Mind if I take a rain check on that drink? I have to work late tonight.

Question 23

jump in : phrasal verb with jump verb: to interrupt when someone else is speaking: I wish you’d stop jumping in and finishing my sentences for me all the time.

Question 24

be in the loop/be out of the loop : idiom informal: to have or not have the special knowledge or power that belongs to a particular group of people: You can tell she’s in the loop. She always knows about policy decisions before the rest of us./ I’ve been out of the loop. I didn’t realize Wendy and Bob had got engaged.

Question 25

Drill down/up: to look at or examine something in depth: to drill down through financial data

Question 26

someone’s wheelhouse [ S ] informal: an area that someone is interested in and skilled at:
Finding new ways of advertising our products has always been my wheelhouse.
I first needed to figure out what was in my wheelhouse.
Unfortunately, for most of the time I had been working outside my wheelhouse.

Answer 26

a

Question 27

Play sth by ear: proceed instinctively according to results and circumstances rather than according to rules or a plan. : “we’ll just have to play it by ear until we can get something definite sorted out”

Question 28

Raise/lower the bar: raise/lower the standards which need to be met in order to qualify for something.: “the restaurant raised the bar for contemporary Scottish cuisine in the capital”

Question 29

Sweet spot -n
* Find/Hit the sweet spot: Referring to finding or achieving the ideal or optimal point or situation.Example: “He finally found the sweet spot between work and personal life.”
* In the sweet spot: Describing something or someone as being in an advantageous or favorable position.Example: “The company’s pricing is in the sweet spot, attracting customers without sacrificing profit.”
* Sweet spot for (something): Indicating the ideal conditions or circumstances for a particular outcome or activity.Example: “This temperature is the sweet spot for baking the perfect cake.”
* Reach the sweet spot: Expressing the act of attaining the most effective or enjoyable state.Example: “After hours of practice, she reached the sweet spot in her tennis game.”
* Sweet spot between (two things): Signifying a harmonious balance or compromise between two opposing factors.Example: “The team managed to strike a sweet spot between creativity and practicality.”
* Play to your sweet spot: Encouraging someone to focus on their strengths or areas of expertise.Example: “He advised her to play to her sweet spot by utilizing her analytical skills.”

Question 30

BAU (business as usual);

MOM (minutes of meeting);

PSA (please see attached);

N/A (not applicable); If a question does not apply to you, please put N/A in the box provided.

TBC/D (to be confirmed/determined), : The meeting till take place on 4 April, venue TBC.

DNB:[ Do not bother/book. Often used on calendars to block out time.: She has a DNB from 1-3 p.m. on Thursday, so make sure the team meeting’s in the morning.],

EOD (End of day; typically means the end of the work day.:I need that email drafted by EOD.)

EDM (Electronic direct mail marketing; a marketing method that uses emails to establish relationships with potential customers.: I think we need an EDM campaign to boost numbers before the end of the quarter.)

FTE (Full-time employee. Usually, someone who works 35-40 or more hours a week.:All FTEs will get health insurance, four weeks’ vacation, and commuter benefits.)

PTE (Part-time employee. Someone who works less than 35-40 hours a week.:They’re a PTE, but I think they might get a full-time offer once they’re done with school.)

PTO (Paid time off. This is the amount of vacation time you have.:I have to take more PTO soon or my work-life balance is going to suffer.)

RTO (Return to office; returning to in-person work.: If the company rolls out a five-day RTO plan, I’m quitting.)

TL;DR (Too long; don’t read; a summary, highlights, and key takeaways.: TL;DR: We shouldn’t rely on email to drive registrations, but we should use it for seasonal campaigns.)

Answer 30

a

Question 31

Ballpark figure” nghĩa là con số áng chừng, ước lượng của một cái gì đó.: The ballpark figure for the cost of this villa (biệt thự) is 5 million dollars.

Question 32

from the ground up: From the very beginning; also, completely, thoroughly. For example, We’ve had to learn a new system from the ground up,

Question 33

“Open the kimono /kɪˈməʊnəʊ/” = Mở áo Kimono -> Những kế hoạch, mục tiêu hay cuộc thương lượng được rõ ràng, sáng tỏ và minh bạch.: Jeff Sprecher, chief executive of Intercontinental Exchange: “We started to open the kimono and expose it to people.”

Question 34

bite the bullet idiom: to force yourself to perform an unpleasant or difficult action or to be brave in a difficult situation: I decided I had to bite the bullet and take a couple of math classes even though I knew they were hard.

Question 35

On one’s radar: idiom: If someone or something is on your radar, you are aware of, or have thought about, them or it. : Five years ago, having a child wasn’t even on my radar.

Question 36

with (all due) respect: idiom (also with (the greatest) respect): used to express polite disagreement in a formal situation: With all due respect, Sir, I cannot agree with your last statement.

Question 37

the elephant in the room –idiom: an obvious problem that no one wants to discuss: I don’t want to ask the question, but it is the big elephant in the room.

Question 38

across the piece/board : in all parts of an organization, system, activity etc SYN across the board: We will be making changes across the piece.

Question 39

at the end of the day : idiom: something that you say before you give the most important fact of a situation: Of course I’ll listen to what she has to say but at the end of the day, it’s my decision.

Question 40

Reformulating strategic initiatives: refers to the process of revising or altering the plans and actions that an organization has implemented to achieve its long-term goals

Question 41

Cascading relevant information: refers to communicating to employees by passing information through the company’s hierarchical structures

Question 42

A No brainer –n: slang: something so simple or obvious that you do not need to think much about it: Taking that job over the one I had was a no-brainer.

Question 43

going forward –phrase: used, especially in business, to mean “in the future”:: This could become a problem going forward.

Question 44

(Share/adopt/implement) Best practice: a standard or set of guidelines that is known to produce good outcomes if followed.: best practive in sth / as a best practice / best practice for doing sth

Question 45

Idea/thought shower: depicts a fancy phrase for brainstorm (a discussion in which new ideas are generated and discussed)

Hold a thought shower
Conduct/Facilitate/Participate in a thought shower
Run a thought shower session

Answer 45

a

Question 46

helicopter view- noun [ C ] informal: a general description or opinion of a situation, rather than a detailed one: Her role as a consultant is to take a helicopter view of how the business is managed.

Question 47

“Do more with less” usually means to be (more) productive or creative with less money or resources.

Question 48

all hands on deck (also all hands to the pumps British English) informal used to say that everyone is needed to help in a particular situation; With only half an hour to get everything ready, it was all hands on deck.

Question 49

The strategic staircase: aka a business plan

Question 50

keep your eye on the ball (Compare take your eye off the ball.): to continue to pay close attention to what you are doing. She won widespread praise for her innovation, her tough negotiating skills and her ability to keep things moving, keep her eye on the ball.