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Business Word/Phrase of the Day

word-phrase-descEvery day we publish a business word or phrase together with audio pronunciation, phonetics, definition and example sentences. This is a great way to improve your workplace vocabulary as well as your pronunciation. To receive 'Business Word/Phrase of the Day' by email, just subscribe to our newsletter from the link above. 

COARSE kɔrs

03 Jun 2024

adjective

  • If something is coarse, it is rude and offensive. Coarse can also be used to mean rough and not soft.
Example Sentences: My boss is always telling coarse jokes.
The sand is very coarse on this beach.
 

REMAINDER rɪˈmeɪndər

02 Jun 2024

noun

  • The remainder is the part of something that is left after the other parts have gone, been used, or been taken away
Example Sentences: I ate most of it and gave the remainder to the dog.
It rained the first day but the remainder of the trip was lovely.
 

REMINDER rɪˈmaɪndər

01 Jun 2024

noun

  • A reminder is a written or spoken message which reminds someone to do something.
Example Sentences: If he forgot to pay his rent, his landlady would send him a reminder.
Mum sent me off with a final reminder to be back before 11pm.
 

ENSURE ɛnˈʃʊər

31 May 2024

verb

  • To ensure is make something certain to happen.
Example Sentences: The airline is taking steps to ensure safety on its aircraft.
The role of the police is to ensure (that) the law is obeyed.
 

ASSURE əˈʃʊər

30 May 2024

verb

  • If you assure someone, you tell them confidently that something is true, especially so that they do not worry.
Example Sentences: The unions assured the new owners of the workers' loyalty to the company.
She assured him (that) the car would be ready the next day.
 

PERSONNEL pɜrsəˈnɛl

29 May 2024

noun

  • Personnel means employees or staff.
Example Sentences: The personnel department looked after 100 employees.
If you want to apply for a job please contact the personnel department.
 

PERSONAL pɜrsənl

28 May 2024

adjective

  • Personal means individual or private - a letter that is only to be opened by the person it is addressed to may be marked 'personal'.
Example Sentences: She left the room to take a personal phone call.
The letter had 'personal' on the envelope so she didn’t open it.
 

LICENCE līˈsəns

27 May 2024

noun

  • A licence is an official document which gives you permission to own, do or use something, usually after you have paid money and/or taken a test. (UK ENGLISH: License)
Example Sentences: Do you need a licence to operate a fork-lift truck?
The police officer checked his driving licence.
 

FREELANCER friˌlænsər

26 May 2024

Noun

  • someone who earns their living by selling their work/services to different employers or companies without a (long-term) contract.
Example Sentence: As a freelancer, you cannot afford to be lazy and just wait for orders to come in – you really have to be pro-active.
 

LICENSE  

25 May 2024

verb

  • License is used as a verb meaning to give someone official permission to do or have something.
Example Sentences: Several companies have been licensed to sell these products.
If the product is not licensed to you, you cannot use it.
 

TO CALL IT QUITS  

24 May 2024

phrase

  • To call it quits is to stop doing something, or to agree with someone that a debt has been paid and that no one owes anything more.
Example Sentences: I reckon we owe you about the same as you owe us. Why don't we just call it quits?
I paid for last week's shopping and you paid for this week's, so let's call it quits.
 

TO CALL IT A DAY  

23 May 2024

phrase

  • To call it a day is to stop the work you are doing.
Example Sentences: We've been working on this for fourteen hours now. Isn't it time we called it a day?
I'm getting a bit tired now - shall we call it a day?
 

A MONEY-SPINNER  

22 May 2024

phrase

  • A money-spinner is a product or activity which produces a lot of money.
Example Sentences: The magazine was a money-spinner for a few years until the Internet became popular.
The iPod has been a real money-spinner for Apple.
 

TO GIVE SOMEONE A GOLDEN HANDSHAKE  

21 May 2024

phrase

  • If someone is given a golden handshake, usually a large payment is made to them when they leave their job, either when their employer has asked them to leave or when they are leaving at the end of their working life, as a reward for very long or good service in their job.
Example Sentences: Tim was forced to leave his job but he was given a very generous golden handshake.
He was given a golden handshake of US$1 million when he retired after working with the company for 40 years.
 

TO COOK THE BOOKS  

20 May 2024

phrase

  • To cook the books is to change numbers dishonestly in the accounts of an organization, especially in order to steal money from it or to avoid paying corporation tax.
Example Sentences: Their accounts were completely fake. They had been cooking the books for years.
His company never pays any tax. I wonder if they're cooking the books.
 
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