Wordlist
.pdf
in company Upper intermediate
Unit 1
headword |
pronunciation |
translation/notes |
example sentence |
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be based in |
\bI "beIst In\ |
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The company has relocated and is now based in Rotterdam. |
business (n) |
\"bIzn´s\ |
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business function (n) |
\"bIzn´s ÆføNkS´n\ |
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Business functions provide an opportunity both to socialize and to make new |
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work contacts. |
business or pleasure? |
\ÆbIzn´s O… "pleZ´\ |
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‘Tom’s been invited to a private viewing at the Guggenheim.’ ‘Is that for business |
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or pleasure?’ |
do business |
\Ædu… "bIzn´s\ |
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Would you do business with a member of your own family? |
How’s business? |
\ÆhaUz "bIzn´s\ |
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‘How’s business? I hear things are improving.’ ‘Not really, economic recovery is still |
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a long way off.’ |
CEO (n) (AmE) |
\Æsi…i…"´U\ |
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Pieter Groenveld is the CEO of our biggest Dutch client. |
(BrE = managing director) |
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client (n) |
\"klaI´nt\ |
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key client (n) |
\Æki… "klaI´nt\ |
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Corporate entertainment allows big companies to maintain relationships with key |
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clients. |
compliment (n) |
\"kÅmpl´m´nt\ |
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pay sb a compliment |
\ÆpeI sømb´dI ´ |
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Paying people personal compliments can be an important part of business culture. |
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"kÅmpl´m´nt\ |
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compliment (v) |
\"kÅmpl´m´nt\ |
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compliment sb on sth |
\"kÅmpl´m´nt |
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Complimenting your staff on good work helps to keep them motivated. |
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sømb´dI Ån ÆsømTIN\ |
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constraint (n) |
\k´n"streInt\ |
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An evening at a corporate event contrasts with the pressures and constraints of |
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the office environment. |
contract (n) |
\"kÅntrœkt\ |
negotiate a (€3 million/ |
\nIÆg´USIeIt ´ ... |
$900,000) contract |
"kÅntrœkt\ |
This file has been downloaded from www.businessenglishonline.net
It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. © Macmillan Publishers Limited 2004.
We’re currently negotiating an $80 million contract with Chinese government officials.
1
in company Upper intermediate
Unit 1
headword |
pronunciation |
translation/notes |
example sentence |
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corporate (adj) |
\"kO…p´r´t\ |
corporate event (n) |
\ÆkO…p´r´t I"vent\ |
corporate hospitality/ |
\ÆkO…p´r´t hÅsp´"tœl´tI\ |
entertainment (n) |
Æent´"teInm´nt\ |
4-/5-course dinner/lunch (n) |
\ÆfO…\ÆfaIv kO…s |
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"dIn´\"løntS\ |
deal (n) |
\di…l\ |
do a deal |
\Ædu… ´ "di…l\ |
delegation (n) |
\Ædel´"geISn\ |
Corporate events range from international sporting events to nights at the opera.
Corporate hospitality has become a boom industry in the past few years.
A 5-course dinner, plus a private box at the match, costs €900 per person.
Negotiations with Swedish Steel are ongoing and we’re hoping to do a deal very soon.
A delegation of 12 Chinese government officials were invited for a day out at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships.
division (n) |
\dI"vIZ´n\ |
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engineering/ |
\endZ´ÆnI´rIN\ |
My name’s James McRae and I work for BP in their engineering division. |
pharmaceutical division etc |
fA…m´Æsju…tIk´l |
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dI"vIZ´n\ |
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hospitality (n) |
\hÅsp´"tœl´tI\ |
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corporate hospitality (n) |
\"kO…p´r´t hÅsp´"tœl´tI\ |
The Japanese speak $40 billion on corporate hospitality. |
hospitality tent (n) |
\hÅsp´"tœl´tI Ætent\ |
Food, drink and entertainment will be on offer at the firm’s hospitality tent. |
look strong/good/bad etc |
\lUk strÅN\gUd\bœd\ |
The Nikkei’s looking strong at the moment, which is good news for Japanese |
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companies. |
merger (n) |
\"m‰…dZ´\ |
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be involved in a merger |
\bi… InÆvÅlvd In ´ |
I believe your company’s about to be involved in a merger. |
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"m‰dZ´\ |
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This file has been downloaded from www.businessenglishonline.net |
2 |
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It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. © Macmillan Publishers Limited 2004.
in company Upper intermediate
Unit 1
headword |
pronunciation |
translation/notes |
example sentence |
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money (n) |
\"mønI\ |
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put your money into sth |
\pUt j´ ÆmønI Int´ |
Now that the economy is improving it’s a good time to put your money into the |
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"sømTIN\ |
stock markets. |
negotiate (v) |
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negotiate a (€3 million |
\nI"g´USIeIt\ |
A French construction company have successfully negotiated a €12 million contract |
/$900,000) contract |
\nIÆg´USIeIt ´ ... |
to build the new company headquarters. |
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"kÅntrœkt\ |
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office (n) |
\"ÅfIs\ |
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office environment (n) |
\ÅfIs In"vaI´r´m´nt\ |
Reward your star team members by offering them a unique experience far away |
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from the pressures of the office environment. |
office party (n) |
\ÆÅfIs "pA…tI\ |
When was the last time you attended an office party? |
per person/per party |
\p´ "p‰…s´n\p´ "pA…tI\ |
London Eye, tour of Tate Modern, dinner: €1,600 per party of 20. |
pressures (n pl) |
\"preS´z\ |
Staff need to escape from time to time from the pressures and constraints of the |
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office. |
project (n) |
\"prÅdZekt\ |
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complete a project |
\k´mÆpli…t ´ "prÅdZekt\ |
We’ve just completed a successful two-year project with a Finnish engineering |
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company. |
reception (n) |
\rI"sepS´n\ |
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champagne reception (n) |
\SœmÆpeIn rI"sepS´n\ |
Enjoy a champagne reception with first-class service at the Paris Ritz. |
red carpet (n) |
\Æred "kA…p´t\ |
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roll out the red carpet |
\Ær´Ul aUt D´Æ red |
Why not roll out the red carpet for your clients and invite them to a banquet on |
(for sb) |
"kA…p´t “f´ Æsømb´dI‘\ |
board the Royal Yacht Britannia? |
relationship (n) |
\rI"leIS´nSIp\ |
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build and maintain |
\ÆbIld ´n meInÆteIn ´ |
Corporate events are an important way of building and maintaining relationships |
a relationship |
rI"leIS´nSIp\ |
with clients. |
This file has been downloaded from www.businessenglishonline.net |
3 |
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It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. © Macmillan Publishers Limited 2004.
in company Upper intermediate
Unit 1
headword |
pronunciation |
translation/notes |
example sentence |
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sales rep (n) |
\"seIlz Ærep\ |
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Each year we invite our top 50 sales reps and their partners to the British Grand |
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Prix at Silverstone. |
service (n) |
\"s‰…v´s\ |
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first-class service |
\Æf‰…st klA…s "s‰…v´s\ |
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Book your corporate event with us and we guarantee the ideal setting and |
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first-class service. |
setting (n) |
\"setIN\ |
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ideal setting |
\"aIdI´l "setIN\ |
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The Royal Yacht Britannia provides the ideal setting for a unique and |
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unforgettable evening. |
star (adj) |
\stA…\ |
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star employee/team |
\ÆstA… Im"plOIi…\"ti…m |
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Reward your star team members with an evening of corporate entertainment. |
member etc |
Æmemb´\ |
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stock market (n) |
\"stÅk ÆmA…k´t\ |
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I see the stock markets are improving – now is probably a good time to invest. |
surroundings (n pl) |
\s´"raUndINz\ |
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tasteful surroundings |
\ÆteIstf´l |
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A superb dinner was served in the tasteful surroundings of the Level 2 Café. |
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s´"raUndINz\ |
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team (n) |
\ti…m\ |
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member of a team |
\Æmemb´r ´v ´ "ti…m\ |
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Why not offer star members of your team front-row seats at the Metropolitan |
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Opera in New York? |
VIP box (n) |
\Ævi…aIpi… "bÅks\ |
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VIP boxes are available from €800 per person. |
This file has been downloaded from www.businessenglishonline.net |
4 |
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It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. © Macmillan Publishers Limited 2004.
in company Upper intermediate
Unit 2
headword |
pronunciation |
translation/notes |
example sentence |
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advertising campaign (n) |
\"œdv´taIzIN |
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The new advertising campaign is reported to have cost over €3 million. |
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kœmÆpeIn\ |
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all-time low (n) |
\ÆO…l taIm "l´U\ |
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Our share price has fallen to an all-time low of just 85 cents. |
assembly plant (n) |
\´"semblI ÆplA…nt\ |
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‘We may have to consider outsourcing production.’ ‘Hold on, you mean our |
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assembly plant may be closed down?’ |
backing (n) |
\"bœkIN\ |
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(opposite = opposition) |
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the full backing of |
\D´Æ fUl "bœkIN ´v\ |
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The proposed change got the full backing of everybody present. |
balance sheet (n) |
\"bœl´ns ÆSi…t\ |
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A balance sheet is a written statement showing the value of a company at a |
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particular time. |
ballpark figure (v) (AmE) |
\"bO…lpA…k ÆfIg´\ |
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A ‘ballpark figure’ is a rough estimate of how much something is worth or how |
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much it will cost. |
break even |
\ÆbreIk "i…v´n\ |
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We can’t afford to introduce price cuts – we’re barely breaking even on some of |
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our product lines. |
capital (n) |
\"kœp´tl\ |
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capital investment/ |
\Ækœp´tl |
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Your suggestion is out of the question – we can’t afford that kind of capital |
outlay (n) |
In"vestm´nt\"aUtleI\ |
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outlay. |
centralise (v) |
\"sentr´laIz\ |
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By centralising distribution we could avoid the problems we’ve been having with |
(opposite = decentralise) |
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overseas distributors. |
channels of communication |
\ÆtSœnlz ´v |
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Do you think working in an open-plan office improves channels of communication |
(n pl) |
k´Æmju…nI"keISn\ |
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between people? |
chief (n) |
\tSi…f\ |
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Former ITT chief, Harold Geneen, was a remorselessly driven workaholic. |
This file has been downloaded from www.businessenglishonline.net |
1 |
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It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. © Macmillan Publishers Limited 2004.
in company Upper intermediate
Unit 2
headword |
pronunciation |
translation/notes |
example sentence |
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close down (phr v) |
\Ækl´Uz "daUn\ |
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Many firms couldn’t keep up with their competitors in South East Asia and were |
(opposite = open up) |
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forced to close down. |
consolidate (v) |
\k´n"sÅl´deIt\ |
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Now is not the time to expand, but to consolidate. |
consumer (n) |
\k´n"sju…m´\ |
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consumer confidence (n) |
\k´nÆsju…m´ |
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When consumer confidence is low sales go down. |
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"kÅnf´d´ns\ |
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cost cutting (n) |
\"kÅst ÆkøtIN\ |
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Cost cutting often involves job losses so that a firm’s wage bill is reduced. |
customer relations (n pl) |
\Ækøst´m´ rI"leIS´nz\ |
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Good customer relations are vital to the growth of any business. |
debt (n) |
\det\ |
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slide (further) into debt |
\ÆslaId “Æf‰…D´‘ Int´ |
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Invest more money in R&D and we’ll simply slide further into debt. |
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"det\ |
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demand (n) |
\dI"mA…nd\ |
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stimulate demand |
\ÆstImj´leIt dI"mA…nd\ |
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Cutting prices is one way of stimulating demand for a product. |
demotion (n) |
\dI"m´US´n\ |
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(opposite = promotion) |
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strategic demotion (n) |
\str´Æti…dZIk |
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‘Strategic demotion’ of men creates more opportunities for women. |
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dI"m´US´n\ |
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distribution channel (n) |
\ÆdIstr´"bju…S´n ÆtSœnl\ |
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Distribution channels are the different ways in which goods and materials are |
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distributed. |
distributor (n) |
\dI"strIbj´t´\ |
overseas distributor (n) |
\´Uv´si…z dI"strIbj´t´\ |
drastic action (n) |
\ÆdrœstIk "œkSn\ |
This file has been downloaded from www.businessenglishonline.net
It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. © Macmillan Publishers Limited 2004.
Centralising distribution would be one way of solving the problems we’ve been having with overseas distributors.
The situation calls for drastic action. It’s time for a major restructuring.
2
in company Upper intermediate
Unit 2
headword |
pronunciation |
translation/notes |
example sentence |
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executive (n) |
\Ig"zekj´tIv\ |
fall short of |
\fO…l "SO…t ´v\ |
(opposite = exceed) |
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fall short of |
\fO…lÆ SO…t ´v |
targets/projections |
"tA…g´ts\pr´"dZekS´nz\ |
figures (n pl) |
\"fIg´z\ |
finalise (v) |
\"faIn´laIz\ |
hostile takeover (n) |
\ÆhÅstaIl "teIk´Uv´\ |
implement (v) |
\"ImplIment\ |
implement a change/ |
\ÆImplIment ´ |
scheme etc |
"tSeIndZ\"skI…m\ |
inflated (adj) |
\In"fleIt´d\ |
inflated prices |
\InÆfleIt´d praIs´z\ |
information-sharing (n) |
\ÆInf´"meIS´nÆSe´rIN\ |
information-sharing |
\Inf´ÆmeIS´nÆSe´rIN |
meeting (n) |
"mi…tIN\ |
interdepartmental meeting (n) |
\ÆInt´Ædi…pA…tÆmentl |
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"mi…tIN\ |
IT support (n) |
\aI"ti… s´ÆpO…t\ |
job-share scheme (n) |
\"dZÅbSe´ Æski…m\ |
This file has been downloaded from www.businessenglishonline.net
It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. © Macmillan Publishers Limited 2004.
The average executive spends half of his or her life in meetings.
Unfortunately we’ve fallen short of our sales projections again.
Executives of ITT had four-day meetings in Brussels poring over figures.
‘We won’t be able to finalise anything today.’ ‘You mean we’ll have to hold another meeting?’
The company was acquired recently by a former competitor in a hostile takeover.
Implementing changes takes time.
Selling old product at inflated prices is not good business.
An information-sharing meeting is one in which people exchange facts and information.
An interdepartmental meeting is attended by people from the different departments within a company.
Good IT support is vital to the efficiency of businesses nowadays.
A job-share scheme is one in which two people share the work of a single job and work reduced hours.
3
in company Upper intermediate
Unit 2
headword |
pronunciation |
translation/notes |
example sentence |
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last-in-first-out (LIFO) (n) |
\lA…stÆInf‰…st"aUt\ |
layoff (n) |
\"leIÅf\ |
layout (n) |
\"leIaUt\ |
lead (n) |
\li…d\ |
technological/ |
\Ætekn´ÆlÅdZIk´l\ |
commercial lead etc |
k´Æm‰…S´l "li…d\ |
loss (n) |
\lÅs\ |
(opposite = profit) |
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make a loss |
\ÆmeIk ´ "lÅs\ |
run at a loss |
\Ærøn ´t ´ "lÅs\ |
market (n) |
\"mA…k´t\ |
come onto the market |
\køm ÆÅnt´ D´ |
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"mA…k´t\ |
market trend (n) |
\ÆmA…k´t "trend\ |
market-driven (adj) |
\"mA…k´tÆdrIv´n\ |
A last-in-first-out procedure is one in which people who have started working for a firm most recently are the first to lose their jobs.
Hundreds of workers could be affected by the layoffs.
Feng-shui experts made recommendations for changes to the office layout.
In recent months many computer games companies in this country have lost their technological lead.
‘Running into negative profit’ is another way of saying ‘making a loss’.
We may end up running at a loss if we cut prices now.
Better products are coming onto the market all the time.
Market trends show the type of products that are popular at a particular time.
Market-driven organisations are controlled by what and how much people want to buy.
opposition (n) |
\Åp´"zIS´n\ |
(opposite = backing) |
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meet with opposition |
\Æmi…t wID ÆÅp´"zIS´n\ |
option (n) |
\"ÅpS´n\ |
explore the options |
\IkÆsplO… DI "ÅpS´nz\ |
This file has been downloaded from www.businessenglishonline.net
It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. © Macmillan Publishers Limited 2004.
Some of the proposed changes met with a certain amount of opposition.
Several options were explored including job-sharing and making some workers redundant.
4
in company Upper intermediate
Unit 2
headword |
pronunciation |
translation/notes |
example sentence |
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outsource (v) |
\"aUtsO…s\ |
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outsource production |
\ÆaUtsO…s pra"døkS´n\ |
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We may have to consider outsourcing production in order to cut costs. |
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overstaffed (adj) |
\Æ´Uv´"stA…ft\ |
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The board feels that the company is overstaffed and has announced job losses. |
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(opposite = understaffed) |
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phase out (phr v) |
\ÆfeIz "aUt\ |
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‘We’re barely breaking even on some of our product lines.’ ‘Surely you’re not |
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(opposite = bring in, |
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saying it’s time to phase them out?’ |
introduce) |
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pick up (phr v) |
\ÆpIk "øp\ |
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Unless things pick up next quarter we may have to rethink our pricing strategy. |
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(opposite = drop off, |
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fall off) |
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positive discrimination (n) |
\ÆpÅz´tIv |
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A policy of positive discrimination would lead to more women being appointed to |
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dIÆskrIm´"neIS´n\ |
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management positions. |
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price setting (n) |
\"praIs ÆsetIN\ |
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There was a lot of disagreement in the meeting about price setting. |
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pricing strategy (n) |
\"praIsIn Æstrœt´dZI\ |
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We shall have to rethink our pricing strategy if our European sales figures don’t |
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improve. |
product (n) |
\"prÅdøkt\ |
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product development (n) |
\"prÅdøkt |
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We’re losing our technological lead and need to invest more money in product |
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dIÆvel´pÆm´nt\ |
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development. |
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product line (n) |
\"prÅdøkt ÆlaIn\ |
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If profit margins are falling it may be time to phase out some product lines. |
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production (n) |
\pr´"døkS´n\ |
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production cost/ |
\pr´"døkS´n |
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We need to keep production costs down if we want to remain competitive. |
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method (n) |
ÆkÅst\meT´d\ |
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profit margin (n) |
\"prÅfIt ÆmA…dZ´n\ |
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Profit margins increased by 7% last quarter. |
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This file has been downloaded from www.businessenglishonline.net |
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© Macmillan Publishers Limited 2004. |
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in company Upper intermediate
Unit 2
headword |
pronunciation |
translation/notes |
example sentence |
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proposal (n) |
\pr´"p´Uz´l\ |
submit a proposal |
\søbÆmIt ´ |
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pr´"p´Uz´l\ |
proviso (n) |
\pr´"vaIz´U\ |
with the proviso that … |
\ÆwID D´ pr´"vaIz´U |
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D´t ...\ |
pull out (of) (phr v) |
\pUl "aUt “´v‘\ |
quality control (n) |
\ÆkwÅl´tI k´n"tr´Ul\ |
quarter (n) |
\"kwO…t´\ |
recruitment process (n) |
\rI"kru…tm´nt |
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Æpr´Uses\ |
region (n) |
\"ri…dZ´n\ |
in the region of |
\In D´ "ri…dZ´n ´v\ |
restructuring (n) |
\ri…"strøktS´rIN\ |
row (n) |
\r´U\ |
in a row |
\ÆIn ´ "r´U\ |
salary (n) |
\"sœl´rI\ |
salary review (n) |
\"sœl´rI rIÆvju…\ |
sales projection (n) |
\"seIlz pr´ÆdZekS´n\ |
shake-up (n) |
\"SeIkøp\ |
This file has been downloaded from www.businessenglishonline.net
It is photocopiable, but all copies must be complete pages. © Macmillan Publishers Limited 2004.
Heads of department were asked to submit their proposals for change within the company.
Job losses were approved with the proviso that people with the company for less than a year were laid off first.
The firm is pulling out of the personal computer business.
Quality control involves testing goods in a factory to make sure that they are good enough to sell.
The European sales figures for last quarter are extremely disappointing.
There’s often a lot of disagreement in meetings about recruitment processes.
Her salary must be somewhere in the region of $100,000 a year.
The situation calls for drastic action – it’s time for a major restructuring.
This is the third quarter in a row we’ve missed our targets.
Each of our employees has an annual salary review.
Sales projections forecast a considerable increase in sales in Eastern Europe.
During the recent shake-up several members of the Board of Directors resigned.
6