the business world Flashcards
to face the axe
to get fired: all staff have been warned that they face the axe should productivity not improve, and that no one is exempt from having to up their perfomance
float on the stock exchange
to sell shares on a stock market in order to finance a new company: rumours abound that he is about to float on the stock exchange
companies merge
to join together: there’s talk of the two companies merging and it is believed that they would benefit significantly from synergy were this to happen
embark on
a hostile takeover bid
completely
by a great amount
well and truly
by far and away
facilitate
an easy transition
the current structure does not facilitate efficient work flow/to facilitate learning
issue an unexpected profit warning
to warn shareholders that profits are going to be low
to engage in panic-selling as a consequence
to end a business
to wind up
operate as a going concern
to run a business successfully
run a tight ship
alliance
to form/forge an alliance
be at loggerheads
to disagree over smth
motion
a formal suggestion made and voted on at a meeting (at a committee)
introduce/make/propose/put forward a motion (to), pass/approve/ carry a motion, defeat/reject a motion, vote for/in favour of/against a motion
put forward a motion of no confidence in
to strip the assets
to sell the assets of a company
to audit the books/accounts
to conduct an official financial inspection of a company’s books
to conduct/undertake an audit (undertake an audit of staff performance/be subject to audit and inspection)
to falsify data and figures in a dishonest way
to fiddle the accounts/books
to plan how much money you’ll spend on smth
budget
draw up a budget/within a budget/to remain within your budget/budgeted(for)/on a budget/cuts in the budget/cut/reduce/increase a budget
to budget for an additional expenditure
provide a company with money by seeking investors
recapitalise a firm
cost
cut/reduce costs, at great personal cost, to smn’ cost, at the cost of, at cost, at any cost, estimated costs, cover the cost of , considerable/enormous cost, cost in time and effort, at a cost to, to introduce cost-cutting measures
warn smn
put smn on notice (that)
overrun
an overrun of, face budget overruns, spending overruns considerably, overrun by(minutes), overrun your budget
reduction in the estimated value of an asset and other way around
write-down
to write down a company’s value
write-up
Companies should allocate a specific value to intangible assets rather than just being able to write them up as goodwill.
a significant write-up of assets( also: to write smth up- to complete writing or recording smth using your notes: to write up a report /write up your notes/ article in a magazine : to get a good write-up in a newspaper)
to have no profit or loss
break even
to call a meeting
to convene a meeting , also to convene a conference/committee
a council convenes (assemble)
an examination of smn’s credit history by a financial organization
credit check
to conduct/run/do a credit check on smn
ex. legally, employers must have written permission from applicants to do a credit check
a sudden sharp reduction in the availability of money, recession
credit crunch
when economic activity does down, increases, and then goes down again
known as negative growth
double-dip recession
a small business run from home
cottage industry
to grow your business from being a cottage industry to become an international power house
to succeed in a company
to climb/move up a corporate ladder, reach the top of the corporate ladder
amount of money moving in and out of business
cash flow
strong/weak/healthy cash flow
a high-yield, high-risk bond
junk bond
the people in a factory who make the products
factory floor - staff on the production line
word on the factory floor is
to compete in a ruthless and often unfair way
cut-throat business
when you doble-cross smn
a plan of how smn will end smth such as a business deal
exit strategy
to develop/have an exit strategy
false bottom
when a stock briefly rallies and then plummets to new lows
an association of several business companies that have joined together to work on a project
consortium
to form/join a consortium
a consortium of investors launching a takeover bid
to consort - to associate with smn usually with the disapproval of others
a large corporation formed by the mergin of separate and diverse firms
conglomerate
a huge/financial conglomerate
from conglomeration- a large group of different things gathered together : a conglomeration of
a group of representatives and envoys
delegate> delegation
also: to give a job or duty to smn: to delegate responsibilities to your staff/ authority to make decisions has been delegated to a special committee
to ask for money/help/information, etc
solicit
to solicit donations for a charity, to solicit smth from smn, to solicit smn’s views/opinions
unsolicited(bid/call)
to discover
ascertain
to ascertain whether, to ascertain the cause of
the extent to which a product is recognized and bought by customers in a particular trade
market penetration
to enhance/gain/increase market penetration, high/small/significant market penetration
the level of market penetration
make progress
make inroads(in/into) make steady inroads
orientation
aim, direction
political/sexual orientation, to adopt an eco-friendly orientation, orientation to/towards
the orientation of a product appears to be towards
to arrange an orientation session
to mitigate
mitigating factors/circumstances
to mitigate damage/risk, mitigate the effects/impact of
to have influence on smth
be at play
ex. many issues are at play here
the activity of making loans with very high interest rates
predatory lending
to be accused of predatory lending
an official who deals with the complaints made by the public against the government
ombudsman
a financial ombudsman
synonyms for praiseworthy
meritorious(laudable, exemplary)
an award for meritorious service/conduct
a social system or organization in which people get success because of their abilities
meritocracy
when a government helps a part of its country’s industry by taxing goods from other countries
protectionism
based on or relating to a set of beliefs
ideological- ideological differences/profound ideological disagreements
intended as punishment
punitive
punitive measures against smn, to be awarded punitive damages
using your influence to help your family members
nepotism, nepotistic, nepotist
a previous action that can be used as a reason for doing/allowing smth else
precedent
set a precedent for, serve as a precedent, without precedent, establish/create a precedent
acceptance of defeat
capitulation
a capitulation to (demands)
immediate capitulation by those in authority
when employees stop working suddenly because they are dissatisfied with their employer or job
to call a lightning strike
done without consulting others first
done UNILATERALLY
the decision was made unilaterally
ability to succeed
viability
viability of the proposal/threaten the viability of businesses
bankrupt
insolvent
when a bankrupt company is under the control of a person who was appointed by court to handle the financial affairs of the company
receivership
go into receivership, put/place in receivership
the act of officially asking for smth
requisition
make/place a requisition for a meeting/staff/accommodation, requisition of cultural treasures, to issue a requisition order for,
to take back smth such as a property when a buyer defaults on payment
repossess
to repossess a home
the amount by which the price of smth is increased before it’s sold
mark-up- a mark-up of 50 dollars
to mark up the price
a considerable mark-up on the price of smth
the amount by which one thing is more or less than another
margin
by a margin of, a narrow/small/wide margin, (within the margin of error)a margin of error, allow a margin of error of, subject to a wide margin of error, on the margins of society
a profit margin:improved margin, to increase margins
the profit of margin is not high enough
to supply or produce smth
yield
to yield increased profits, to yield surprising/unexpected results, to yield energy, crop yields, high/low yield, yield cash returns
inadequacy in the law or a set of rules
loopholes
tax loopholes, to find loopholes, to close a loophole, to exploit/take advantage of a loophole, a loophole in the regulations
very small
nominal
to charge/pay nominal fees, a nominal amount, nominal interest rates
also: in name only - the nominal head of the company
a portion of money
tranche
a tranche of the loan, a large tranche of money
a particular way of doing smth
modus operandi
a company’s official modus operandi
racket
badminton, squash racket
an illegal activity that makes money- a front to mask a money-laundering racket
a loud and discordant noise - make a racket
a business that provides goods/services
a local purveyor of smth
a food/tea purveyor
a detailed list of things
inventory
a complete/extensive/detailed inventory, do/make/take an inventory
to refuse to buy a product as a way of expressing disapproval
boycott
to join/support a boycott, call for/demand a boycott, a boycott of/ against smth
the boycott of goods from
an official order or commission to do smth
mandate-edict
also- authority given to smn
call an election to seek a mandate for your policies, to give a mandate to
compensate smn if they suffer damage
indemnify
to indemnify the business against losses, to indemnify sb for smth
an important and powerful person
mogul
movie/media/industry mogul
payment for work or services
remuneration
to receive adequate remuneration for your work
a lucrative remuneration package
the rate of smn’s progress
learning curve
steep/sharp learning curve
requiring a lot of workers or a lot of effort
labor-intensive task/process
to silence smn
offer hush money
invest money without doing anything else (not doing any work)
invest as a sleeping partner
charge
face criminal charges, be arrested on the charge of misappropriating money, bring a charge of theft against smn, drop the charges, a trumped-up charge/
put/leave smn in charge of smth, take/have charge of, be charged with doing smth/
free of charge, to charge a small/nominal fee, how much do you charge for this, admission charge/
the battery is charging, to run out of charge/
charge around, charge up the staircase/
be charged-up-excited
people who go into a shop because they see it while walking by
passing trade
strong passing trade
the window display is important for drawing in passing trade
it’s a good thing
it’s just as well
a gas station
a service station
there is not enough local business to sustain a service station
saved money
nest egg
to build up a considerable nest egg by the retirement
a retirement nest egg
a UK tax you pay when you buy property
stamp duty
to be exempt from paying stamp duty on the house as the value didn’t exceed the threshold of
illegal buying and selling of company’s shares by those in power
insider trading
to engage in insider trading
strongly refute the charges of insider trading
official order not to discuss a legal case
a gagging(gag) order to issue a gaggingorder
when a person owns most of the company’s shares
majority interest
to secure/hold/acquire a majority interest in
a large payment to smn when they retire
to be given a gold handshake
tax when you are bequeathed smn
to be liable for inheritance taxif you stand to gain
when we talk about an approximate amount of money
to the tune of, to be in debt to the tune of
immaterial values like good reputation
intangible asset
charitable endeavours are are importantto us in terms of goodwill
financial statement that shows a company’s assets and debts
balance sheet
healthy/strong balance sheet
synonyms for mogul
tycoon, magnate
business/media tycoon
money you receive unexpectedly
windfall, bonanza get/have/receive a windfall cash windfall windfall gains/profit a bonanza year/month for, enjoy a bonanza
time off from work or study
sabbatical-take a leave of absence
on sabbatical/take a sabbatical
person who donates smth, esp money
a generous benefactor
an anonymous donor , a gift from a donor
money spent on smth
outlay
involve little financial outlay, outlay on/for smth, require an initial outlay of, total outlay on the health sector is budgeted at
expenditure
increase/reduce/keep down expenditure on smth, cut expenditure, annual expenditure on, expenditure of effort on
working class
blue-collar workers/jobs
self-employed
sole trader
run business as a sole trader
a fixed sum of money paid to smn each year
annuity receive a small annuity pension to receive generous/comfortable pension, offer a pension scheme/plan, a state/personal pension draw a pension
unemployment benefit
dole
draw the dole, on the dole, go on the dole
