Business English Vocabulary Online

Unit 5 Working together

You can print out this wordlist for Unit 5 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.

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