Business English Vocabulary Online Unit 1 Face to face

aggressive aggression - spoken or physical behaviour which is threatening or involves harm to someone or something appointment noun a formal arrangement to meet or visit someone at a particular time and place badge noun a small piece of metal, plastic, cloth, etc., with words or a picture on it, that is pinned or sewn to your clothing, often to show your support for a political organization or belief, or your rank, or membership of a group, etc. colleague noun one of a group of people who work together head of department noun head - someone in charge of or leading an organization, group, etc. department - any of the divisions or parts of esp. a school, university, business or government managing director noun (British and Australian) A managing director (abbreviation MD) of a company is the person in charge of the way it operates. personnel noun the people who are employed in a company, organization or one of the armed forces public relations noun the activity of keeping good relationships between an organization and the people outside it sales office noun Sales is the department of a company that organizes and does the selling of the things it makes. sincere adjective (of a person, feelings or behaviour) not pretending; without falseness; honest small talk noun social conversation about unimportant things, often between people who do not know each other well superior noun (a person or group of people who are) higher in rank or social position than others surname noun the name that you share with other members of your family vice-chairman noun vice - used as part of the title of particular positions. The person who holds one of these positions is next below in authority to the person who holds the full position and can act for them chairman - a person in charge of a meeting or organization visitor visit - to go to a place in order to look at it, or to a person in order to spend time with them whereabouts noun the place where a person or thing is aperitif noun an alcoholic drink, esp. one which is drunk before a meal apparently used to say you have read or been told something although you are not certain it is true behaviour noun behave - to act in a particular way, or to be good by acting in a way which has society's approval chew over noun to think about or discuss something carefully for a long time counterpart noun a person or thing which has the same purpose as another one in a different place or organization demonstration

demonstrate - to show; to make clear disaster noun (an event which results in) great harm, damage or death, or serious difficulty manners plural noun polite ways of treating other people and behaving in public offence noun upset and hurt feelings or feelings of annoyance, often because someone has been rude or shown a lack of respect syllable noun a single unit of speech, either a whole word or one of the parts into which a word is separated when it is spoken or divided when it is printed. It usually contains a vowel. tricky adjective (of a piece of work or a problem) difficult to deal with and needing careful attention or skill accountant noun An accountant is someone who keeps or examines the records of money received, paid and owed by a company or person. ambitious adjective Someone who is ambitious has a great desire to be successful, powerful or wealthy. application noun An application is a computer program that is designed for a particular purpose. challenge noun (the situation of being faced with) something needing great mental or physical effort in order to be done successfully and which therefore tests a person's ability deadline noun a time or day by which something must be done environment noun the conditions that you live or work in and the way that they influence how you feel or how effectively you can work finance noun (the management of) a supply of money generate verb to cause to exist, or to produce hands-on Someone who has hands-on experience of something has done or used it personally rather than just read or learned about it. hectic adjective full of activity; very busy and fast responsibility noun A responsibility is a duty that you have because of your job or position body language noun the movements or positions by which you unintentionally show other people how you are feeling business card noun a small rectangular piece of stiff paper with information printed on it, esp. a person's job title, business address and telephone number click verb to make a short sharp sound, or to make something do this co-worker noun a person working with another worker, esp. as a partner or helper concentrate verb to direct (your mental powers or your efforts) towards a particular activity, subject or problem conference noun an event, sometimes lasting a few days, at which there are a group of talks on a particular subject, or a meeting in which esp. business matters are discussed formally delegate noun a person chosen or elected by a group to speak, vote, etc. for them, esp. at a meeting

indigestion noun pain caused in the region of the stomach by the stomach not correctly breaking down food so that it can be used by the body quiz noun a game or competition in which you answer questions reliable adjective Something that is reliable can be trusted because it works well. sigh verb to breathe out slowly and noisily, expressing tiredness, sadness, pleasure, boredom, etc. sniff verb to take air in through your nose noisily and in one action, usually to stop the liquid inside the nose from flowing out, or to smell something by taking air in through your nose yawn verb to open the mouth wide and deeply breathe in and out without conscious effort, usually when tired or bored border noun a strip that goes around or along the edge of something, often as decoration ballpark figure noun a number which is a guess, but which you believe is near the correct number fact noun something which is known to have happened or to exist, esp. something for which proof exists, or about which there is information flu noun an infectious illness which is like a very bad cold, but which causes a fever junior adjective low or lower in rank senior adjective high or higher in rank sketch noun a simple, quickly-made drawing which does not have many details, or a short written or spoken story which does not have many details

Unit 2 Letters, faxes and emails

attend to [someone/something] verb to deal with something or help someone e-mail noun the system for using computers to send messages over the Internet, or a message or document sent using this system memo noun a message or other information in writing sent by one person or department to another in the same business organization proportion noun a part or share of the whole, or a compared number, amount or level envelope noun a flat, usually square or rectangular, paper container for a letter cc abbreviation for carbon copy (= used, esp. on a letter, to show that the stated people will be sent a copy) catalogue UK catalog US noun a book with a list of all the goods that you can buy from a shop, or of all the books, paintings, etc that exist in a place concise adjective short and clear; expressing what needs to be said without unnecessary words courteous adjective polite and respectful; well-mannered dot matrix printer noun A dot-matrix printer is a computer printer that forms letters, numbers and other symbols from dots heading noun words written or printed at the top of a text as a title house style noun a set of rules a company follows for such things as spelling and design in all the things it produces letterhead noun the top part of a piece of writing paper where the name and address of a person or business is printed logo noun a picture, pattern or way of writing its name that an organization uses as its symbol and puts on its products pp used to show when someone has signed a document for a person who is not available to sign it paragraph noun a short part of a text, consisting of one or more sentences and beginning on a new line. It usually deals with a single event, description, idea, etc. recycle verb to collect and treat (rubbish) to produce useful materials which can be used again manual noun a book which gives you practical instructions on how to do something or how to use something, such as a machine additive noun a substance which is added to food in order to improve its taste or appearance or to preserve it aroma noun a strong, usually pleasant smell artificial adjective made by people, often as a copy of something natural

customer noun a person who buys goods or a service extract verb to remove or take out (something) irrelevant adjective not related to what is being discussed or considered and therefore of no importance order form noun a printed form which a customer uses to request goods or a service relevant adjective connected with what is happening or being discussed sample noun a small amount of something which shows you, or which can be tested to show you, what the rest is or should be like wavy adjective having a series of curves assemble verb to join or bring (parts) together in a single group or place, or (of parts) to come together like this agent noun a person who acts for or represents another benefit noun a helpful or good effect, or something intended to help come up to expectations If something does not come up to expectation(s) it is not as good as expected. compile verb to collect (information) from a variety of places and arrange it in a book, report or list contract noun a legal document that states and explains a formal agreement between two different people or groups, or the agreement itself engineer noun a person whose job is to design or build machines, engines or electrical equipment, or things such as roads, railways or bridges, using scientific principles feedback noun information or statements of opinion about something, such as a new product, that provide an idea of whether it is successful or liked jeopardize verb to put a plan or system in danger of being harmed or damaged long-standing adjective A long-standing activity or relationship has existed for a long time. puzzled adjective confused and slightly worried because you cannot understand something submit verb to give or offer (something) for a decision to be made by others

Unit 3 On the phone

mobile phone noun a telephone which is connected to the telephone system by radio, rather than by a wire, and can therefore be used anywhere where its signals can be received phone booth noun a place, often partly enclosed, in a public building where there is a telephone that the public can use telephonist = switchboard operator noun a person whose job is to receive telephone calls and connect them to other numbers batch noun a group of things or people dealt with at the same time or considered similar in type courier noun a person who takes care of a group of people on holiday and shows them the most important things in the place they are visiting, or a person who carries important messages or documents for someone else prototype noun the first example of something, such as a machine or other industrial product, from which all later forms are developed quote verb to give a price, esp. that will be charged for doing a piece of work receipt noun Receipt is the act of receiving money or goods. stick-on adjective Something that is stick-on has glue or other similar substance on one side of it, so that it can fix to a surface. subcontract verb to pay someone else to do part of (a job that you have agreed to do) answering machine = answerphone noun a device connected to a telephone which answers calls automatically and records messages from callers contact noun the act of speaking to someone, either personally, by telephone or radio, electronically or by writing to someone head office noun the most important office of an organization or company, or the people working there striped adjective Something that is striped has stripes on it. subsidiary adjective less important than something else with which it is connected freight noun goods, but not passengers, that are carried from one place to another, by ship, aircraft, train or truck, or the system of transporting these goods dial verb to operate a telephone or make a telephone call to (someone) by pressing a particular series of numbered buttons, or moving a numbered disc, on the telephone dispatch verb to send (esp. goods or a message) somewhere for a particular purpose image noun a picture in the mind of what something or someone is like quality control noun the process of looking at goods when they are being produced to make certain that all the goods are of the intended standard

shipment noun a large amount of goods sent together to a place, or the act of sending them staff noun the group of people who work for an organization trade fair noun a large gathering at which companies show and sell their products and try to increase their business vegetarian noun a person who does not eat meat for health or religious reasons or because they want to avoid cruelty to animals agent noun a person who acts for or represents another confirm verb to make (an arrangement or meeting) certain, often by telephone or writing connect verb (of a telephone operator) to make it possible for (someone) to speak to someone else by telephone equipment noun Equipment is the set of necessary tools, clothing etc. for a particular purpose. extension noun any of two or more telephones in the same house which share the same number, or any of a number of telephones connected to a switchboard in a large building such as an office laboratory , informal lab noun a room or building with scientific equipment for doing scientific tests or for teaching science, or a place where chemicals or medicines are produced literature noun printed material published by a company which is intended to encourage people to buy that company's products or services put [someone] through phrasal verb To put a telephone caller through (to someone) is to connect them so that they can speak to that person. switchboard noun a piece of equipment which is used to direct all the telephone calls made to and from a particular building or area break down verb If a machine or vehicle breaks down, it stops working. non-smoking adjective describes a place where people are not allowed to smoke, or a person who does not smoke proposal noun A proposal is a suggestion, sometimes a written one stuffy adjective (of a room or building) unpleasant because of a lack of fresh air translate verb to change (words) into a different language congress noun a large formal meeting of representatives from countries or societies at which ideas are discussed and information is exchanged label noun a piece of paper or other material which is stuck on or joined to an object, telling you what the object is, how to use it, to whom it belongs or other information afflict verb to make (someone or something) suffer physically or mentally

Unit 4 Summaries, notes, reports

break noun a short period of rest, when food or drink is sometimes eaten. frequent adjective happening often; common improve verb to (cause something to) get better physiotherapist noun A physiotherapist is someone who treats people using physiotherapy (= the treatment of stiffness, muscle weakness and pain in the body, esp. by rubbing and moving the sore parts) card noun a small rectangular piece of stiff paper with information printed on it, esp. a person's job title, business address and telephone number stand noun a small shop or stall or an area where products can be shown, usually outside or in a large public building, at which people can buy things or obtain information discount noun a reduction in the usual price procurement noun Procurement is the buying of supplies. record verb to keep (information) for the future, by writing it down or storing it on a computer rely on phrasal verb to depend on or trust (someone or something) sales representative noun a sales representative (also sales rep) travels to different places trying to persuade people to buy the things their company produces. summarize verb to express the most important facts or characteristics about (something) in a short and clear form canteen noun a small place in a factory, office, etc. where food and meals are sold, often at a lower than usual price complain verb to say that something is wrong or not satisfactory concerning preposition about display verb to arrange (something or a collection of things) so that they can be seen by the public eyesight noun the ability to see handle verb to operate or control (something which could be difficult or dangerous) investigate verb to examine (a crime, problem, statement, etc.) carefully, esp. to discover the truth bug noun a bacteria or a virus causing an illness that is usually not serious old-fashioned adjective Something that is old-fashioned is not modern, and belongs to or is typical of a time in the past.

procedure noun a set of actions which is the accepted way of doing something raise verb to cause to exist recommend verb to suggest that (someone or something) would be good or suitable for a particular job or purpose, or to suggest that (a particular action) should be done regular adjective existing or happening repeatedly in a fixed pattern, with equal or similar amounts of space or time between one and the next; even or frequent Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) noun a painful medical condition which can cause damage to the hands, wrists, upper arms and backs of esp. people who use computers and other forms of keyboard replace verb to take the place of (something) or put something or someone in the place of (something or someone else) request noun an act of asking; a polite demand for something screen noun a flat surface in a cinema or on a television or a computer system on which pictures or words are shown symptom noun any feeling of illness or physical or mental change which is caused by a particular disease union noun A (trade) union is an organization of workers from a particular profession (= type of work) or trade which represents and protects the rights of workers within that profession and has discussions with employers over such matters as pay and working conditions. ventilate verb to cause fresh air to enter and move around an enclosed space aim verb to intend body noun the main part of a book, article, etc., or the main part of a large building clarify verb to make something clear or easier to understand by giving more details or a simpler explanation special adjective having a particular purpose cover verb to do (someone else's job or duty) when they are absent department noun any of the divisions or parts of esp. a school, university, business or government personnel noun Personnel is the department of a company or organization that deals with its employees when they first join, when they need training or when they have any problems. edit verb to prepare (a text or film) for printing or viewing by correcting mistakes and deciding what will be removed and what will be kept in, etc., or to be in charge of (the reports in a newspaper or magazine, etc.) efficient adjective working or operating quickly and effectively in an organized way

examine verb to look at or consider (a person or thing) carefully and in detail in order to discover something about the person or thing extended adjective longer than usual grave adjective seriously bad item noun something which is part of a list or group of things overtime noun (time spent working) beyond the usual time needed or expected in a job request noun an act of asking; a polite demand for something result noun something that happens or exists because of something else review verb to consider (something) in order to make changes to it, give an opinion on it or to study it rough adjective fairly correct but not exact or detailed; approximate select verb to choose (a small number of things), or to choose by making careful decisions separate adjective existing or happening independently or in a different physical space sheet noun a large thin flat esp. rectangular piece of something, esp. a piece of cloth used for sleeping on or a piece of paper undertake verb to do or begin to do (something) waste noun an unnecessary or wrong use of money, substances, time, energy, abilities, etc. workforce noun the group of people who work in a company, industry, country etc. bill noun a request for payment of money owed, or the piece of paper on which it is written bonus noun an extra amount of money that is given to you as a present or reward in addition to the money you were expecting dash noun a short horizontal line used to separate parts of sentences deduct verb to take away (an amount or part) from a total increase verb to become or make larger in amount or size instead adverb rather than (something or someone); invoice noun a list of items provided or work done together with their cost, for payment at a later time

lot noun a large amount or number (of something) postpone verb to delay (an event), esp. arranging for it to happen at a later date or time punctuation mark noun a mark that you add to a text to show the divisions between different parts of it reduce verb to make less in size, amount, degree, importance, etc., or bring into a different, usually worse, state afterthought noun an idea, thought or plan which was not originally intended but is thought of at a later time apostrophe noun the sign (') used in writing to show that a letter or a number has been omitted, or before or after s to show possession avoid verb to stay away from someone or something, or prevent something from happening or not allow yourself to do something brackets noun either of two symbols put around a word, phrase or sentence in a piece of writing to show that what is between them should be considered as separate from the main part carry out phrasal verb to perform or complete (a job or activity); to fulfil colon noun the sign (:) used in writing esp. to introduce a list of things or a sentence or phrase taken from somewhere else comma noun the , punctuation mark that is used in writing to separate parts of a sentence showing a slight pause, or to separate the various single items in a list cost noun the amount of money needed to buy, do or make something quotes noun Quotation marks (also quote marks, UK also inverted commas or informal quotes) are the pair of printed marks put at the beginning or end of a word or phrase to show that someone else has written or said it. doubt noun (a feeling of) uncertainty about something, esp. about how good or true it is exclamation mark noun the ! punctuation mark that is written immediately after an exclamation factory noun a building or set of buildings where large amounts of goods are made using machines full stop noun the . punctuation mark that is put at the end of a sentence, or at the end of a word that has been abbreviated hyphen noun the - punctuation mark that joins two words together, or shows that a word has been divided into two parts at the end of one line and the beginning of the next inverted commas noun the " " punctuation marks that are put around a word or phrase to show that someone else has written or said it oblique noun An oblique (also slash or specialized solidus) is a sloping line often used for separating numbers or words. parenthesis noun either of two marks ( ) put round a word, sentence, etc. in a piece of writing to show that what is inside them should be considered as separate from the main part

period = full stop noun the . punctuation mark that is put at the end of a sentence, or at the end of a word that has been abbreviated primary adjective more important than anything else; main productivity noun A company's or country's productivity is the rate at which it makes goods, and is usually judged in connection with the number of people and the amount of materials necessary to produce the goods. question mark noun A question mark is a written or printed sign (?) that is put at the end of a phrase or sentence to show that it is a question. quotation marks noun Quotation marks (also quote marks, Br also inverted commas or informal quotes) are the pair of printed mark put at the beginning or end of a word or phrase to show that someone else has written or said it. salary noun a fixed amount of money agreed every year as pay for an employee, part of which, that is left once tax has been paid, is usually paid directly into his or her bank account every month semicolon noun a sign (;) used in formal writing between two parts of a sentence, usually when each of the two parts could form grammatical sentences on their own slash noun a sloping line used in printing or writing to separate letters or numbers. stroke noun (esp. used in spoken English) an oblique (diagonal) amount noun a collection or mass esp. of something which cannot be counted branch noun a part of something larger emerge verb to become known esp. as a result of consideration, examination or questioning focus noun the main or central point of something, esp. of attention or interest note [something] down phrasal verb to write something so that you do not forget it order noun the way in which people or things are arranged in relation to one another or according to a particular characteristic sequence noun a series of related things or events, or the order in which they follow each other brainstorm verb (of a group of people) to suggest a lot of ideas for (a future activity) very quickly before considering some of them more carefully session noun a period of time or meeting arranged for a particular activity set noun a group of similar things or people that belong together in some way spot verb to see or notice (someone or something) usually when it involves looking hard underestimate verb to fail to guess or understand the real cost, size, difficulty, etc. of (something), or to fail to understand how strong, skilful, intelligent or determined (someone, esp. a competitor) is

Unit 5 Working together

join verb to become a member of (an organization) pension scheme noun a financial plan that allows you to receive money after you or your employer have paid money into it for a number of years. trade union (also trades union, union, US labor union) noun an organization of workers in a particular industry, which represents them and aims to improve their pay and working conditions aerospace adjective/noun producing or operating aircraft or spacecraft beverage noun a drink of any type chart noun information given in the form of a graph or diagram, often intended to show the information more clearly electronics noun Electronics is the scientific study of electric current and the technology that uses it. sector noun one of the areas into which the economic activity of a country is divided supply verb to provide (something that is needed), or to provide something that is needed to (someone) tertiary adjective When used of an industry, tertiary means providing a service, rather than being involved with obtaining the materials with which goods are made, or with the making of goods. board noun the group of people who are responsible for controlling and organizing a company or organization array noun a large group of things or people, esp. one which is attractive or causes admiration and often one which has been positioned in a particular way asset noun a useful or valuable quality, skill or person, or a part of the usually valuable property of a person or organization which can be used for the payment of debts branch office noun A branch is one of the offices or groups that form part of a large business organization. civil engineering noun the planning and building of things not used for worship or war, such as roads, bridges and public buildings. The person who does this is a civil engineer. cornerstone noun something of great importance which everything else depends on corporation noun a large company or group of companies that is controlled together as a single organization decade noun a period of ten years, esp. a period such as 1860 to 1869 or 1990 to 1999 fiscal year noun another word for financial year (= a period of twelve months (not always January to January) for which a business, government, etc. plans its management of money) fledgling firm noun new and not experienced business

found verb to bring (something) into existence innovative adjective different and new link noun a connection between two things location noun a place, esp. one where something special is or where something happens maintain verb to continue to have; keep in existence, or not allow to become less milestone noun an important event in the development or history of something or in someone's life numerous adjective many railroad = railway noun a metal track on which trains run, or the whole system of such tracks, stations and trains spearhead verb to lead, esp. some type of attack or course of action turn of the century the time when one century ends and another begins versatile adjective able to change easily from one activity to another or able to be used for many different purposes zest noun enthusiasm, eagerness, energy and interest abandon verb to leave a place, thing or person forever abolish verb to end an activity or custom officially assembly line noun an arrangement of machines and workers in a factory, in which each has a particular job which has to be completed before the next stage of production is started by another worker in bulk in large amounts component noun a part which combines with other parts to form something bigger confine verb to limit (someone or something) consign verb to send (something) to someone oblivion noun the state of being completely forgotten debt noun something, esp. money, which is owed to someone else, or the state of owing something dishwasher noun a machine that washes and cleans dirty plates, cups, forks, etc.

encourage verb to strongly advise (someone) to do something or make (someone) believe they are able to do something, or to support (something) or make (something) more likely expenses plural noun money spent while doing a job, which an employer will pay back filing cabinet noun A filing cabinet is a set of large drawers for storing documents, letters, etc -fold suffix having the stated number of parts, or multiplied by the stated number rewarding adjective A job that is rewarding is one that gives a lot of satisfaction, but possibly not much money. share noun the part of a larger amount, which has been divided between several people, that belongs to or is owed to or has to be done by a particular person site noun a place where something is, was, or will be built, or where something happened, is happening, or will happen manual adjective Manual labour/work is work which involves physical work rather than mental work. accounts plural noun Accounts are records of the money a person or company spends and receives. install verb to put (a large piece of equipment) in a place, esp. to put (a machine) in a place and connect it to the electricity/gas/water/etc. supply, so that it is ready for use dealings plural noun If you have dealings with someone, you are involved in a personal or formal relationship with them. collapse verb (of people and business) to suffer the sudden inability to continue or work correctly concentric adjective (of circles and rings) having the same centre counsellor noun someone who provides help and encouragement get rid of phrasal verb To get rid of something unwanted is to remove it or throw it away. corporation noun a large company or group of companies that is controlled together as a single organization parking lot noun space for vehicles to be parked. pyramid structure noun the structure of an organisation where there are fewer people at the top levels of them than there are at the bottom scrutiny noun Scrutiny is the careful and detailed examination of something in order to obtain information about it. staff turnover noun the rate at which employees leave a company and are replaced by new people. subject someone to something phrasal verb to cause (someone or something) to experience something, esp. something unpleasant

Unit 6 International trade

available adjective able to be obtained, used, or reached career noun a job for which you are trained and in which it is possible to advance during your working life, so that you get greater responsibility and earn more money confidential adjective Something that is confidential is secret, often in a formal, business or military situation. detail noun a single piece of information or fact about something, or the small features of something that you only notice when you look carefully domestic adjective relating to a person's own country exchange verb to change (something) for something else of a similar value or type hostile adjective showing strong dislike; unfriendly impatience noun annoyance and dissatisfaction at faults or because something is slow, or anxious eagerness to do something polite adjective behaving in a way that is socially correct and shows awareness of and caring for other people's feelings abroad adjective, adverb in or to a foreign country or countries announce verb to state or make known, esp. publicly battery noun a device that produces electricity to provide power for radios, cars, etc. acquaintance noun An acquaintance is a person that you know but do not know very well and therefore do not consider truly a friend. disabled adjective lacking one or more of the physical or mental abilities that most people have economy noun the intentional saving of money or, less commonly, the saving of time, energy, words, etc. line noun a range of similar things that are for sale order book noun a book in which a company or shop keeps a record of customers' orders outperform verb to do well in a particular job or activity compared to others of a similar type plant noun machines used in industry, or a factory in which such machines are used output noun an amount of something produced by a person, machine, factory, country, etc quotation noun A quotation is the price that a person will charge to do a piece of work.

range noun a set of similar things rationalize verb to make (a company, way of working, etc.) more effective, usually by combining or stopping particular activities, or (of a company, way of working, etc.) to become more effective in this way redundant adjective (of a worker) having lost his or her job because the employer no longer needs or is able to pay them shape noun (good) condition or state of health share noun one of the equal parts into which the ownership of a company is divided and which can be bought by members of the public shipping noun the sending of goods from one place to another, esp. by ship short-range adjective Short-range means reaching a short distance or relating to a short time. suppliers plural noun Suppliers are a company which sells something. specifications plural noun details, esp. of the size, shape, etc. of something to be made stock noun a supply of something for use or sale substantial adjective large in size, value or importance vehicle noun a machine usually with wheels and an engine which is used for transporting people or goods on land, particularly on roads briefcase noun a usually flat rectangular case, used esp. for carrying business papers bug noun a very small device fixed on to a telephone or hidden in a room that allows you to listen to what people are saying without them knowing detector noun A detector is a device used for finding particular substances or things, or measuring their level. disguise noun to give a new appearance to a person or thing, esp. in order to hide its true form distributor noun A distributor is a person or company which supplies goods to the businesses which sell them. eavesdrop verb to listen to someone's private conversation without them knowing device noun an object or machine which has been invented to fulfil a particular purpose exhibit verb to show (something) publicly forthcoming adjective about to happen, happening soon

hands-on experience noun Someone who has hands-on experience of something has done or used it personally rather than just read or learned about it. licence UK license US noun an official document which gives you permission to own, do or use something, usually after you have paid money and/or taken a test interfere verb to involve yourself in matters which are connected with other people when your involvement is neither wanted nor helpful mains plural noun UK The mains is the system of pipes or wires which carry water or electricity into a house, or the pipes which carry sewage away from a house. warranty noun A warranty is a written promise by a company to repair or replace a product that develops a fault within a fixed period of time or do again a piece of work that is not satisfactory. monitor noun a device with a screen on which words or pictures can be shown part adjective some but not all of a thing portable adjective (designed to be) light and small enough to be easily carried or moved recharge verb to give (a battery) the ability to supply electricity again by connecting it to a piece of electrical equipment and filling it with electricity rep = sales representative noun A sales representative (also sales rep) travels to different places trying to persuade people to buy the things their company produces. scrambler noun A scrambler is an electronic device which scrambles radio or telephone messages. showroom noun a large shop in which people are encouraged to look at the goods that are on sale before buying them specify verb to state or describe clearly and exactly volt noun the standard unit used to measure how strongly an electrical current is sent around an electrical system workstation noun a keyboard and screen with which a person can use a computer system, or an area in an office, factory etc. where a single person works anchor noun a heavy metal object, usually shaped like a cross with curved arms, on a strong rope or chain, which is dropped from a boat into the water to prevent the boat from moving away container noun A container is also a very large standard-sized metal box used for transporting goods. handbook noun a book which contains instructions or advice about how to do something or the most important and useful information about a subject idealize verb To idealize someone or something is to think of or represent them as better than they are. passage noun A passage is a journey, esp. over the sea.

pro forma (invoice) noun a list of items that have been ordered which is sent with their prices to a customer so that the items can be paid for before they are delivered scenario noun a description of possible actions or events in the future stainless steel noun a type of steel containing chromium which does not chemically react with air or water and does not change its colour truck noun large vehicle used for transporting goods unload verb to remove the contents of (something), esp. a load of goods from a vehicle, the bullets from a gun or the film from a camera warehouse noun a large building for storing items before they are sold, used or sent out to shops, or a large shop selling a large number of a particular items at a cheap rate

Unit 7 Money matters

annual adjective happening once every year, or relating to a period of one year the brunt of the main force of (esp. something unpleasant) brand name noun the name given to a particular product by the company that makes it coupon noun a piece of paper which can be used to obtain something without paying for it or at a reduced price credit card noun a small plastic card which can be used as a method of payment, the money being taken from you at a later time bill noun esp. US a piece of paper money downturn noun a reduction in the amount or success of something, such as a country's economic activity slowdown noun a reduction in speed, activity or the rate that things are produced eurocheque noun a cheque that can be used in particular banks or shops in Europe increase verb to become or make larger in amount or size interest noun money which is charged by a financial organization such as a bank to people who have borrowed from them, or the profit which is made on money invested in a financial organization launch verb to begin (something such as a plan) or introduce (something new such as a product) letter of credit noun a letter from a bank allowing the person who has it to take a particular amount of money from a bank in another country list price noun The list price of a product is the price at which its maker suggests it should be sold. marginal adjective very small in amount or effect net noun left when there is nothing else to be subtracted oblique adjective having a sloping direction, angle or position slash noun A slash is also a sloping line used in printing or writing to separate letters or numbers. pound noun the standard unit of money in the UK, Ireland and some other countries prestige noun respect and admiration given to someone or something, usually because of a reputation for high quality, success or social influence

spreadsheet noun a computer program, used esp. in business, which allows you to do financial calculations and plans string noun a series of related things or events tax noun (an amount of) money paid to the government, usually a percentage of personal income or of the cost of goods or services bought assess verb to judge or decide the amount, value, quality or importance of something bad debt noun one that is not likely to be paid disregard noun lack of consideration or respect for something face value noun the value or price which is shown on, for example, a stamp, a coin or a bank note owe verb to need to pay or give (something) to (someone) because they have lent money to you, or in exchange for something they have done for you recover verb to get back something lost, esp. health, ability, possessions etc. gross adjective, adverb (in) total gross noun (a group of) 144 invoice noun a list of items provided or work done together with their cost, for payment at a later time merchandise noun goods that are bought and sold remittance noun A remittance is a sum of money which you send to someone. inconsistent adjective (of a reason, idea, opinion etc.) not in agreement between parts of itself or with something else irrevocable adjective impossible to change particular adjective special or single; this and not any other shipment noun a large amount of goods sent together to a place, or the act of sending them stipulate verb to state exactly how (something) must be or must be done enclose verb to send (something) in the same envelope or parcel as something else liquidate verb to cause a business to close, so that its assets can be sold to pay its debts rectify verb to correct or make right

Unit 8 Dealing with problems

damage verb to harm or spoil (something) repair verb to put (something damaged, broken or not working correctly) back into good condition or make it work again; mend cable noun a wire, covered by plastic, that carries electricity, telephone signals, etc misunderstand verb to think you have understood someone or something when you have not mix up noun a mistake that causes confusion reel noun a round wheel-shaped object on which sewing thread, fishing wire, cinema film, etc. can be rolled, or the amount of thread, film, etc. stored on one of these attorney US = lawyer noun someone whose job is to give advice to people about the law and speak for them in court, esp. Br a solicitor clumsy adjective awkward in movement or manner inefficient adjective not organized, skilled or able to work satisfactorily; not efficient pressure noun Pressure is the things that happen to a person which can make them feel anxious and unhappy. shortage noun If there is a shortage in a supply of something, there is not enough of it. slip-up noun A slip-up is a mistake or something which goes wrong. slip someone's mind If something slips your memory/mind you forget it. solicitor UK noun a type of lawyer in Britain and Australia who is trained to give advice about the law and sometimes to represent people in court threat noun a suggestion that something unpleasant will happen, esp. if a particular action or order is not followed anticipate verb to imagine or expect that something will happen, sometimes taking action in preparation for it happening inconvenience noun a state or an example of difficulties, problems or trouble, which often causes a delay or loss of comfort database noun a large amount of information stored in a computer system in such a way that it can be easily looked at or changed format noun a pattern, plan or arrangement fuss noun a show of annoyance, anxiety, dissatisfaction or excitement, usually one which is greater than the situation deserves

graphics noun The pictures and symbols that you can produce with a computer are called (computer) graphics. one-stop adjective One-stop activities involve stopping at a single place utility noun the usefulness of something, esp. in a practical way asap abbreviation for as soon as possible fault noun a mistake, esp. something for which you are to blame, or (esp. in a person's character or a machine) a weakness or broken part inadequate adjective too low in quality or too small in amount; not good enough package noun an object or group of objects that have been wrapped up together in paper or cardboard; a small parcel withhold verb to refuse to give (something) or to keep back (something) A4 noun (paper) of a standard size used in Europe, measuring 21 centimetres x 29.7 centimetres negative noun a piece of film from which a photograph can be produced, and in which light and dark areas appear the opposite way round to the way in which they appear in the photograph refund noun an amount of money that is given back to you, especially because you are not happy with a product or service that you have bought alloy noun a metal that is made by mixing two or more metals, or a metal and another substance cost-effective adjective If an activity is cost-effective it is good value for the amount of money paid. defect noun a fault, problem or lack in something or someone that spoils them or causes them not to work correctly eliminate verb remove or take away line manager noun one of the managers who are responsible for the most important activities of a large company, such as production mass-produce verb If you mass-produce something, you make a lot of it in a factory where production consists of many simple stages each of which is performed repeatedly by a person or machine. reject verb to refuse to accept, use or believe (something or someone)

Unit 9 Visitors and travellers

You can print out this wordlist for Unit 9 of New International Business English - or you can click on any of the highlighted words for further explanations and sample sentences on the Cambridge Dictionaries Online website.

belongings plural noun A person's belongings are the things that they own, esp. those which can be carried. chain smoker noun A person who chain-smokes or is a chain-smoker smokes almost continuously, often lighting one cigarette from the end of the previous one. connect verb (of two public transport vehicles) to make it possible for passengers to continue the next part of their journey easily by having the second method of transport leave soon after the first has arrived gate noun the official door at an airport for people travelling on a particular aircraft itinerary noun a detailed plan or route of a journey platform noun UK A platform (US track) at a railway station is a long flat raised structure where people get on and off trains. smooth adjective happening without any sudden changes, interruption, inconvenience or difficulty traffic jam noun a large number of vehicles close together moving very slowly or unable to move traveller's cheque noun UK A traveller's cheque/US traveler's check is a piece of paper that you buy from a bank or a travel company and that you can use as money or exchange for the local money of the country you visit. It is safer than ordinary money because it needs your signature before it can be used. trolley noun a small vehicle with two or four wheels that is used for transporting large or heavy objects and is pushed or pulled by a person buffet noun a meal where people serve themselves from a variety of types of usually cold food and often eat standing up single room noun a room in a hotel for one person twin bed noun A twin bed is one of a set of two beds which are each big enough for one person. gallery noun a room or building which is used for showing works of art, sometimes so that they can be sold back streets noun The back streets of a city or town are the older and poorer areas. big name noun informal A big name is a famous or important person. brief verb to give someone instructions or information about what they should do or say

lake noun a large area of water that is not salty, surrounded by land and not connected to the sea except by rivers or streams politician noun A politician is a member of a government or law-making organization. public transport noun a system of vehicles such as buses and trains which operate at regular times on fixed routes and are used by the public personality noun a famous entertainer or sports player etc. who has an attractive, energetic character which makes them popular with the public appetizer US noun a small amount of food eaten before a meal dessert noun sweet food eaten at the end of a meal entre US noun the main dish of a meal, or at very formal meals, a small dish served just before the main part exaggerate verb to make (something) seem larger, more important, better or worse than it really is fudge noun a soft sweet made from sugar, butter and milk which often has flavouring added jet lag noun the feeling of tiredness and confusion which people experience after making a long journey in an aircraft to a place where the time is different from the place they left main course UK noun the largest or most important part of a meal in which there are different parts served separately pie noun a round pastry container in which meat, vegetables or fruit are cooked and which might also be covered with pastry pumpkin noun a large round vegetable with hard yellow or orange flesh starter UK noun a small savoury dish served as the first part of a meal. APEX abbreviation for Advance Purchase Excursion noun a system of cheap travel tickets which must be bought a particular number of days before travelling fee noun an amount of money paid for a particular piece of work or for a particular right or service full board when all your meals are provided at the hotel or rooms that you are paying to stay in lecture noun a formal talk on a serious or specialist subject given to a group of people, esp. students overhead projector (OHP) noun a device which makes images on a flat transparent sheet larger and shows them on a white screen or wall refund noun an amount of money that is given back to you, especially because you are not happy with a product or service that you have bought self-catering adjective, noun (of a holiday) having a kitchen so that you can cook meals for yourself rather than having them provided for you

seminar noun an occasion when a teacher or expert and a group of people meet to study and discuss something simultaneous adjective happening or being done at exactly the same time venue noun the place where a public event or meeting happens balcony noun an area with a wall or bars around it that is joined to the outside wall of a building on an upper level overlook verb to provide a view of, esp. from above wheelchair noun a chair on wheels which people who are unable to walk use for moving around compensate verb to pay (someone) money in exchange for something that has been lost or damaged or for some inconvenience flap noun a piece of cloth or other material fixed along one edge, esp. used for covering or closing something knock back phrasal verb to quickly drink something, especially a lot of alcohol landing gear noun the set of wheels and other parts which support a plane when it is on the ground and make it possible to take off and land leaflet noun a piece of paper, or sometimes several pieces of paper folded or fixed together like a book, which gives you information or advertises something manifesto noun a written statement of the beliefs, aims and policies (= a set of ideas or plans) of a group of people, esp. a political party screwdriver noun a tool for turning screws, consisting of a handle joined to a metal rod shaped at one end to fit in the cut in the top of the screw sightseeing noun the visiting of interesting places, esp. by people on holiday soak verb to make very wet, or (of liquid) to be absorbed in large amounts

Unit 10 Marketing
You can print out this wordlist for Unit 10 of New International Business English - or you can click on any of the highlighted words for further explanations and sample sentences on the Cambridge Dictionaries Online website.

brand noun a type of product made by a particular company commercial noun an advertisement which is broadcast on television or radio demand verb to ask for forcefully, in a way that shows that a refusal is not expected, or to need design noun a pattern used to decorate something distribute verb to share or give (something) out to several people, or to spread, scatter or supply (something) over an area end user noun The end user of something is the person or organization that uses it rather than an organization which trades in it. hire purchase noun a system of paying for something in which the buyer pays part of the cost immediately and then makes small regular payments until the debt is reduced to nothing label noun a piece of paper or other material which is stuck on or joined to an object, telling you what the object is, how to use it, to whom it belongs or other information opportunity noun an occasion or situation which makes it possible to do something that you want to do or have to do, or the possibility of doing something outlet noun a shop that is one of many owned by a particular company and that sells the goods which the company has produced PR = public relations noun Public relations ( PR) is the activity of keeping good relationships between an organization and the people outside it. promote verb to encourage the popularity, sale, development or existence of (something) publicity noun the activity of making certain that someone or something attracts a lot of interest or attention from many people, or the attention received as a result of this activity taste noun a person's appreciation of and liking for particular things threat noun a suggestion that something unpleasant will happen, esp. if a particular action or order is not followed benefit noun a helpful or good effect, or something intended to help

cross-refer verb to direct (a reader) from one place in a book to another place in the same book desire verb to want (something), esp. strongly feature noun an esp. typical quality or important part nostalgia noun a feeling of pleasure and sometimes slight sadness at the same time as you think about things that happened in the past update verb to make (something) more modern or suitable for use now by adding new information or changing its design brochure noun a type of small magazine that contains pictures and information on a product or a company bubble gum noun chewing gum that you can blow into the shape of a bubble comic adjective making you want to laugh; amusing direct mail a way of selling a product, or trying to obtain money for charity, by writing to people to try and persuade them to buy the product or give money liqueur noun a strong sweet alcoholic drink which is usually drunk in small amounts at the end of a meal press release noun a public statement given to the press to publish if they wish stand noun a small shop or stall or an area where products can be shown, usually outside or in a large public building, at which people can buy things or obtain information word of mouth By word of mouth means in speech but not in writing. break into [something] phrasal verb to suddenly begin to do something probability noun The probability of something happening or being true is how likely it is that it will happen or be true. predict verb to say that (an event or action) will happen in the future, esp. as a result of knowledge or experience forecast noun a statement of what is judged likely to happen in the future, esp. in connection with a particular situation, or of the expected weather conditions gloom noun feelings of hopelessness or great unhappiness; great pessimism hospitality noun the food, drink and other comforts that an organization sometimes provides in order to keep its guests happy. landscape noun a large area of countryside, esp. in relation to its appearance misconception noun A misconception is an idea which is wrong that has been based on a failure to understand a situation.

package tour noun a holiday at a fixed price in which the travel company arranges your travel, hotels and sometimes meals for you questionnaire noun a written list of questions that a number of people are asked to complete so that information can be collected wilderness noun an area of land that has not been cultivated or had towns and roads built on it, esp. because it is difficult to live in as a result of its extremely cold or hot weather or bad earth manure noun excrement from animals, esp. horses, which is spread on the land in order to make plants grow well trend noun a general development or change in a situation or in the way that people are behaving impact noun the force with which one thing hits another or with which two things hit each other literature noun printed material published by a company which is intended to encourage people to buy that company's products or services

Unit 11 Meetings
You can print out this wordlist for Unit 11 of New International Business English - or you can click on any of the highlighted words for further explanations and sample sentences on the Cambridge Dictionaries Online website.

chair noun (the official position of) a person in charge of a meeting or organization, or a position in an official group, or the person in charge of or having an important position in a college or university department designate verb to choose (someone) officially to do a particular job or to state officially that (something or a place) has a particular character flexitime noun a system of working according to which people work a set number of hours within a fixed period of time, but can vary the time they start or finish work full-time adjective, adverb Full-time work or education is done for the whole of a working week. part-time adjective, adverb If you work part-time or do part-time work, you work for only some of the day or the week. stipulate verb to state exactly how (something) must be or must be done premise noun an idea or theory on which a statement or action is based arise verb to happen boundary noun a real or imagined line that marks the edge or limit of something cautious adjective A cautious person takes care to avoid risks. crockery noun cups, plates, bowls, etc., used to serve food and drink, esp. made of baked clay cutlery noun knives, forks and spoons used for eating food leak verb to allow (secret information) to become generally known on the spot On the spot means at the place where an event is happening or has recently happened. territory noun (an area of) esp. land or sea, which is considered as belonging to or connected with a particular country or person

verbal adjective spoken rather than written adjourn verb to make a pause or rest during a formal meeting or trial duration noun the length of time that something lasts agenda noun a list of matters to be discussed at a meeting majority noun the larger number or part of something to and fro adverb in one direction and then in the opposite direction, a repeated number of times vote verb to express your choice or opinion, esp. by officially marking a paper or by raising your hand or speaking in a meeting buffet noun a meal where people serve themselves from a variety of types of usually cold food and often eat standing up overdo verb to do, use or say (something) in a way that is too extreme pro rata (of payments, pay increases, etc.) calculated according to a fixed rate snack noun a smaller than usual meal or a small amount of food that is eaten between meals, often something produced specially for this purpose wedding reception noun a party to celebrate the marriage ceremony of two people haul noun the time taken for a journey or for something to happen

Unit 12 Processes and operations

assortment noun a group of different types of something bubble noun a ball of air in a liquid or a delicate hollow sphere floating on top of a liquid or in the air crucial adjective (of a decision or event in the future) extremely important ingredient noun a food that is used with other foods in the preparation of a particular dish microprocessor noun a part of a computer that controls its main operations texture noun the quality of something that can be decided by touch; the degree to which something is rough or smooth, or soft or hard assembly noun the process of putting together the parts of a machine or structure, or (specialized) the structure produced by this process facility noun a place, esp. including buildings, where a particular activity happens standby noun something which is always ready for use, esp. if a regular one fails streamline verb to improve the effectiveness of (an organization such as a business or government), often by simplifying the way activities are performed coat verb to cover (something) with a layer of a substance drum noun a large tube-like container beep verb to (cause to) make a short loud sound disconnect verb to unfasten (something), esp. to break the connection between a supply of electricity, gas, water, etc. and a device or piece of equipment feed verb to put (into), or supply, esp. continually mode noun a way of operating, living or behaving

slot noun a long narrow hole, esp. one for putting coins into or for fitting a separate piece into grind verb to make (something) into small pieces or a powder by pressing between hard surfaces roast verb to cook (food) using dry heat in an oven or over a fire

Unit 13 Jobs and careers

acquire verb to obtain (something) attitude noun a feeling or opinion about something or someone, or a way of behaving that is caused by this cabin crew noun In an aircraft, the cabin crew/staff are the people whose job it is to take care of the passengers. the dole noun informal the money that the government gives to people who are unemployed slot noun an amount of time which is officially allowed for a single event in a planned order of activities or events from scratch completely from the beginning jump at phrasal verb To jump at something is to accept it eagerly. recession noun a period when the economy of a country is not successful, business conditions are bad, industrial production and trade are at a low level and there is a lot of unemployment recruit verb to persuade someone to become a new member of an organization, esp. the army transition noun a change from one form or type to another, or the process by which this happens volunteer noun a person who does something, esp. helps other people, willingly and without being forced or paid to do it ageism noun treating people unfairly because of their age alleviate verb to make something bad such as pain or problems less severe aptitude noun Aptitude is natural ability or skill. arbitrary adjective based on chance rather than being planned or based on reason blanket adjective including or affecting everything, everyone, or all cases, in a large group or area

creed noun a set of beliefs which expresses a particular opinion and influences the way you live criminology noun Criminology is the scientific study of crime and criminals culprit noun someone who has done something wrong CV UK noun = curriculum vitae: a short written description of your education, qualifications, previous employment and sometimes also your personal interests, which you send to an employer when you are trying to get a job discriminate verb to treat a person or particular group of people differently, esp. in a worse way from the way in which you treat other people, because of their skin colour, religion, sex, etc. dynamic adjective having a lot of ideas and enthusiasm; energetic and forceful guilt noun a feeling of anxiety or unhappiness that you have because you have done something wrong, such as causing harm to another person high-flyer noun someone who has a lot of ability and a strong desire to be successful and is therefore expected to achieve a lot irrespective adjective without considering; not needing to allow for lag verb to move or advance so slowly that you are behind other people or things obsessed adjective unable to stop thinking about something; too interested in or very worried about something oppress verb to make (a person) feel uncomfortable or anxious, and sometimes ill pressing adjective urgent or needing to be dealt with immediately prevalent adjective existing very commonly or happening frequently rsum noun US and ANZ for CV (=curriculum vitae: a short written description of your education, qualifications, previous employment and sometimes also your personal interests, which you send to an employer when you are trying to get a job) rot verb to (cause to) decay set in phrasal verb (of something unpleasant) to begin and to be likely to continue to exist sliding scale noun A sliding scale is a system in which the rate at which something is measured varies as a result of other conditions. steady adjective not moving or changing suddenly strenuous adjective demanding or using a lot of physical or mental effort or energy corridor noun a long passage in a building or train, esp. with rooms on either side

give [someone] a hard time phrasal verb If you give someone a hard time, you make things difficult or unpleasant for them. interviewer noun An interviewer is the person who asks the questions during an interview. panel noun a small group of people chosen to give advice, make a decision, or publicly discuss their opinions as entertainment promising adjective Something which is promising shows signs that it is going to be successful or enjoyable. short list noun A short list is a list of people who have been judged the most suitable for a job or prize, made from a longer list of people originally considered, and from which one person will be chosen. bonus noun an extra amount of money that is given to you as a present or reward in addition to the money you were expecting eligible adjective having the necessary qualities or fulfilling the necessary conditions the nitty-gritty noun informal the basic facts of a situation scope noun the opportunity for doing something initiative noun the ability to use your judgment to make decisions and do things without needing to be told what to do

Unit 14 Sales and negotiation

cheat verb to behave in a dishonest way in order to get what you want hard sell noun If someone uses or tries the hard sell, they try to sell something to the buyer by being very forceful. soft sell noun If someone uses a soft sell, they try to sell something to someone by being gently persuasive. sales rep noun someone who travels to different places trying to persuade people to buy the things their company produces bargain noun an agreement between two people or groups in which each promises to do something in exchange for something else debate noun (a) serious discussion of a subject in which many people take part dispute noun an argument or disagreement, esp. an official one between, for example, workers and employers or two bordering countries appliance noun a device, machine or piece of equipment, esp. an electrical one that is used in the house such as a cooker, fire, washing machine, etc. margin noun the amount by which one thing is different from another remain verb to stay in the same place or in the same condition encounter verb to experience (esp. something unpleasant), or to meet (someone) unexpectedly micro- prefix very small lens noun a thin piece of glass, plastic or other transparent material which usually has a curved surface and makes objects seem closer, larger, smaller, etc. Lenses are used in cameras, people's glasses and telescopes. process verb To process photographic film is to make pictures from it . viewfinder noun the part of a camera that you look through to see what it is that you are taking a photograph of

Unit 15 Revision
criterion noun a fact or standard by which you judge, decide about or deal with something expertise noun skill local authority noun the group of people who govern an area, esp. a city microwave (oven) noun a machine that cooks food very quickly refurbish verb to make (something) look new and bright again nappy noun a square of thick soft cloth or a piece of clothing made of thick soft paper which is fastened around a baby's bottom and between its legs to absorb its urine and excrement baked beans noun haricot beans that have been cooked in tomato sauce, sugar and spices, and are usually sold in tins concrete jungle noun an ugly grey area of a city where people live in closely crowded apartment buildings and there is little space and no trees or grass down-to-earth adjective Someone or something that is down-to-earth is practical, direct or ordinary. flight simulator noun equipment which represents real conditions esp. in an aircraft or spacecraft hereabouts adverb in this area; near this place incentive noun something which encourages a person to do something interstate noun US An interstate is a fast wide road which connects important cities in the United States. midway adverb in the middle between two places or in the middle of a process or period of time no-nonsense adjective No-nonsense means practical and interested in doing only what is necessary to achieve what is intended.

pharmaceutical adjective connected with the production of medicines mall noun a large usually enclosed shopping area where cars are not allowed Victorian adjective belonging to, made in or living in the time when Queen Victoria was queen of Britain (1837-1901)