BEC Vantage Business Vocabulary List

This is the official Cambridge BEC Vantage vocabulary list.

• absenteeism (n) employees not being at work when they should be
• account for (v) form the total of something
• acquisition (n) buying new companies
• across the board (adv) happening or having an effect on people at every level and in every area
• administer (v) manage or govern
• adversarial (adj) involving opposition or disagreement
• advertising campaign (n) organised programme of advertisements, usually concerning promoting a certain product or brand
• advocate (n) person who supports an idea (or product)
• agenda (n) list of matters to be discussed at a meeting
• alignment (n) agreement between people who want to work together because of shared interests or aims
• allocate (v) give something to someone as their share of a total amount, for them to use in a particular way
• allot (v) give (especially a share of something available) for a particular purpose
• angel investor (n) wealthy person who invests money in new business projects
• appraise (v) examine someone or something in order to judge their qualities, success or needs
• approach (n) way of considering something
• assembly (n) process of putting together the parts of a machine or structure
• assembly line (n) line of machines and workers in a factory which a product moves along while it is being built or produced. Each machine or worker performs a particular job, which must be completed before the product moves to the next position in the line .
• assess (v) judge or decide the amount, value, quality or importance of something
• asset (n) something valuable belonging to a person or organisation which can be used for the payment of debts
• attendee (n) someone who goes to a place, event, etc.
• autocratic (adj) demanding absolute obedience from other people
• axe (v) way to reduce the number of employees


• backer (n) person who gives financial support to something
• backup plan (n) scheme ready to be used in place of or to help another
• balance sheet (n) statement that shows the value of a company’s assets and its debts
• bang heads together (v) when two or more people get together to work out complicated issues, usually involving some argument, before reaching a solution
• bank charge (n) sum of money paid by a customer for a bank’s services
• bankable (adj) likely to make money
• banner ad (n) form of advertising on the World Wide Web which involves putting a wide and short, or tall and narrow advert on an internet web page
• barcode (n) small rectangular pattern of thick and thin black lines of magnetic ink printed on an item, or on its container, so that its details can be read by and recorded on a computer system
• bargaining point (n) something which someone else wants that you are willing to lose in order to reach an agreement
• be in a position to (v) be able to do something, usually because you have the necessary experience, authority or money
• benchmark (v) measure the quality of something by comparing it with something else of an accepted standard 
• benefits (pl n) things such as medical insurance, pension, etc. that employees receive in addition to money
• better off (adj) richer (or in a better state)
• bid (v) compete against other firms by offering to do a job or contract for a certain amount of money
• bid for (v) offer to do some work for a particular price
• blue-collar worker (n) worker who does unskilled work rather than office work
• board (n) group of people who are responsible for controlling and organising a company or organisation
• bonus (n) extra amount of money that is given as a present or reward in addition to the money expected
• bookkeeping (n) job of keeping a record of the money that has been spent or received by a business
• bottom line (n) final line in the accounts of a company or organisation, which states the total profit or loss that has been made
• brand awareness (n) knowledge of a particular make of product
• brand builder (n) developer of a product’s image
• brand identity (n) see brand image
• brand image (n) impression of a product in the minds of potential customers
• brand management (n) how a company manages its brands and brand image
• breadwinner (n) member of a family who earns the money that the family needs
• break even (v) make neither a loss nor a profit doing business
• briefing (n) a meeting where information and instructions are given
• brochure (n) type of small magazine that contains pictures and information on a product or a company
• budget (n) plan to show how much money an organisation will earn and how much they will need or be able to spend
• buoyant (adj) healthy and strong
• buzz session (n) activity where a group of people make lots of suggestions quickly
• by the book (adv) formally, or according to the rules



• calibre (n) degree of quality or excellence of someone
• call-centre operative (n) person who works in an office where large numbers of telephone calls, especially from customers, are handled for an organisation
• camaraderie (n) feeling of friendliness towards people with whom you work or share an experience
• capitalise on (v) use to your advantage
• career break (n) period in which a person decides to leave their job temporarily
• career continuity (n) ability to continue your professional career
• cash (n) money which is immediately available
• cash cow (n) very profitable business or part of the business
• churn out (v) produce large amounts of something quickly, usually of low quality
• cipher (n) a person or group of people without power, but used by others for their own purposes, or someone who is not important
• classified ad/advertisement (n) small advertisement placed in a newspaper by a person wishing to buy or sell something, offer or get employment, etc.
• close down (v) if a business or organisation closes down, or someone closes it down, it stops operating
• clutch (n) handful
• cold-calling (n) when a person in business telephones or visits a possible customer to try to sell them something without being asked by the customer to do so
• collate (v) bring together different pieces of written information
• come under scrutiny (v) subject to careful and thorough examination
• competency (n) important skill that is needed to do a job
• competitive (adj) competitive prices, services, etc. are as good as, or better than, other prices, services, etc.
• compliance (n) when people obey an order, rule or request
• compromise (n) agreement in an argument in which the people involved reduce their demands or change their opinion in order to agree
• concierge service (n) doorkeeper or porter services
• consolidate (v) combine several things, especially businesses, so that they become more effective
• constraint (n) something which controls what you do by keeping you within particular limits
• contingency plan (n) programme of action designed for handling possible problems
• corporate catering service (n) business of providing food service to businesses (usually at a remote site) 
• corporate social responsibility (CSR) (n) proposal that organisations should be obliged to make decisions based not only on financial/economic factors but also on the social and environmental consequences of their activities
• count on (v) be confident that you can depend on (something/someone)
• credit limit (n) maximum amount of money a bank will allow you to borrow
• credit worthiness (n) calculation of someone’s ability to pay back money which they have borrowed creditor; someone to whom money is owed
• crisis management (n) process of dealing with difficult situations
• critical path (n) sequence of stages determining the minimum time needed for the execution of an entire project
• crop (n) (total amount gathered of) a plant such as a grain, fruit or vegetable grown in large amounts
• cross-selling (n) suggestion that customers buy additional or related accessories or products during or just after their primary purchase
• current assets (pl n) something owned by a business that it does not expect to keep for more than 12 months 
• customer base (n) regular customers
• customer care (n) protection and service provided to customers
• customer loyalty (n) when a customer favours a certain brand or company over others (the company sometimes offers financial or other rewards for this favouritism)
• customise (v) make or change something according to the buyer’s or user’s needs
• cut back (v) use in smaller amounts
• cut of the profits (n) share in the profits


• deadline (n) time or day by which something must be done
• deadlock (n) situation in which agreement in an argument cannot be reached because neither side will change its demands or accept the demands of the other side
• dealings (pl n) activities involving other people, especially in business
• debtor (n) someone who owes money
• decline (v) gradually become less, worse, or lower
• deficit (n) amount of money a company has lost during a particular period of time
• delegate (v) give a particular job, duty, right, etc. to someone else so that they do it for you
• deposit (n) sum of money which is given in advance as part of a total payment for something
• depreciation (n) loss of value of an asset such as machinery over time
• direct response advertising (n) form of advertising designed to obtain a direct response between the viewer and the advertiser: the customer responds to the marketer directly
• discharge a debt pay a debt completely
• disclose (v) make something known publicly, or show something that was secret
• disposable income (n) money which you can spend as you want and not the money which you spend on taxes, food and other basic needs
• distribution (n) making goods available to customers
• diverse footprint (n) varied area over which something is present
• dividend (n) (a part of) the profit of a company that is paid to the people who own shares in it
• dotcom (n) Internet company
• double digit (adj) number with two digits (i.e. between 10 and 99inclusive)
• downside (n) disadvantage of a situation
• downsize (v) if you downsize a company or organisation, you make it smaller by reducing the number of people working for it, and if it downsizes, it becomes smaller in this way
• draw up (v) prepare something, usually something official, in writing
• dress code (n) set of rules for what you can wear
• dwindle (v) become smaller in size or amount, or fewer in number



• economic downturn (n) reduction in a country’s financial activity
• economies of scale (pl n) where the costs of production fall as a business grows in size
• emerging market (n) area or country where there is growing demand for goods
• empire (n) very large and important business organisation
• enhance (v) improve the quality, amount or strength of something
• entrant (n) person who takes part in a competition or an examination
• envision (v) form a mental picture of something, typically something that may occur or be possible in the future
• e-sale (n) sales transaction performed digitally, usually over the Internet
• estimate (v) guess the cost, size, value, etc. of something
• ethics pl (pl n) a system of accepted beliefs which control behaviour, especially such a system based on morals
• evict (v) force someone to leave somewhere
• excess production capacity (n) ability of a factory to produce more than it actually does
• executive summary (n) overview of the main points of a business plan or proposal
• expertise (n) high level of knowledge or skill
• exposure (n) experience of something
• extend your overdraft (v) lengthen the period of time before you have to pay back the money you have overdrawn


• factor (n) fact or situation which influences the result of something
• factoring (n) system of buying debts for less than they are worth and then obtaining payment for them from the debtors
• fall short (v) fail to reach a target
• faulty (adj) not perfectly made or not working correctly
• feasibility (n) whether something can be done, made or achieved
• fee (n) amount of money paid for a particular piece of work
• feedback (n) remarks passed back to the person responsible, so that changes can be made if necessary
• field (n) area of activity or interest
• fire (v) dismiss
• fixed assets (pl n) building, equipment or land owned by a company
• flexible working (n) working without strict times for starting and finishing
• flutter (n) small bet
• foreign exchange fluctuation (n) rises and falls in the currencies of other countries
• freelancer (n) worker who does particular pieces of work for different organisations, rather than working all the time for a single organisation
• frontline staff (n) employees with direct contact with customers
• FTSE (n) Financial Times Stock Exchange 100 index; the main measure of the amount by which the leading 100 shares sold on the London Stock Exchange have gone up or down in value


• gadget (n) small device or machine with a particular purpose
• gain ground (on) (v) make progress at the expense of
• get (something) straight (v) understand correctly, or make something clear
• get a bad press (v) receive criticism from the media
• get down to business (v) start talking about the subject to be discussed
• get down to work (v) start to direct your efforts and attention towards work
• get off the ground (v) if a plan or activity gets off the ground or you get it off the ground, it starts or succeeds
• get on board (v) make (someone) part of a group or team, or become part of a group or team
• get your desk clear (v) finish all your work
• glitch (n) small problem or fault that prevents something from working well
• global presence (n) if a company has a global presence, it sells its products all over the world
• go bankrupt (v) become unable to pay what you owe, and have control of your financial matters given, by a court of law, to a person who sells your property to pay your debts
• go bust (v) if a company goes bust, it is forced to close because it is financially unsuccessful
• go on a hunch (v) act on an idea which is based on feeling and for which there is no proof
• go out of business (v) no longer able to operate as a business
• goal (n) aim or purpose
• going rate (n) standard rate of payment for a particular job
• goodwill (n) value of the popularity, the regular customers, etc. of a business calculated as part of its worth when being sold
• gross profit (n) company’s profit before certain costs and taxes are deducted
• ground-breaking (adj) if something is ground-breaking, it is very new and a big change from other things of its type



• halve (v) if something halves, it is reduced by half
• hands-on approach (n) way of doing things which is practical, not theoretical
• have a bearing on (v) have an influence on something or a relationship to something
• have your hands in the till (v) steal money from the place where you work
• high-profile (adj) attracting a lot of attention and interest from the public and newspapers, television, etc.
• hire (v) employ someone or pay them to do a particular job
• hire and fire (v) employ and dismiss
• home working (n) working at home, while communicating with your office by telephone, fax or computer
• horse-trading (n) negotiation which requires bargaining and each side reducing their demands
• hunch (n) see go on a hunch


• impact (n) powerful effect that something, especially something new, has on a situation or person
• in line with (adv) organised at the same level as
• in place (adv)
• in sync (adj) at the same time or the same speed
• in the pipeline (adv) being planned and developed
• incentive (n) something which encourages a person to do something
• incentive payment (n) financial reward to stimulate action from staff or customers
• incompetent (adj) showing lack of ability or skill to do something successfully
• in-house magazine (n) publication which is written and produced within an organisation by its employees
• input (n) something, such as advice, information or effort, that is provided in order to help something succeed or develop
• insight (n) (the ability to have) a clear, deep and sometimes sudden understanding of a complicated problem or situation
• internal candidate (n) person seeking a position who already holds another job within the organisation
• interview panel (n) group of people who ask candidates questions to see if they are suitable for a job
• issue (n) subject or problem which people are thinking and talking about
• item (n) one of several subjects to be considered
• itemise (v) list things separately


• job sharing (n) doing part of a job with someone else, so that each person works part-time
• joint-venture partner (n) associate in a commercial enterprise which is undertaken jointly
• jot down (v) write something quickly on a piece of paper so that you remember it


• key (adj) very important and having a lot of influence on other people or things
• key stage (n) important time period in a sequence of events
• knock (something) off the price (v) give a discount off the price
• knock-on effect (n) when an event or situation has a knock-on effect, it indirectly causes other events or situations
• knowledge worker (n) person whose work requires specialist knowledge


• labour intensive (adj) needing a lot of workers
• landlord (n) person or organisation that owns a building or an area of land and is paid by other people for the use of it
• lay off (v) stop employing (someone), sometimes temporarily, because there is no money to pay them or because there is no work for them
• layoff (n) when someone stops employing someone, sometimes temporarily, because there is no money to pay them or because there is no work for them
• lead time (n) time needed to design and develop a new product
• leafleting (n) giving out leaflets to people
• lease (n) legal agreement in which you pay money in order to use a building, piece of land, vehicle, etc. for a period
• leaseholder (n) person who pays the owner of a piece of land, a building, etc. in order to be able to use it
• legal entitlement (n) something that, in law, you have the right to do or have, or when you have the right to do or have something
• leverage (n) power to influence people and get the results you want
• liability (n) when you are legally responsible for something
• liability (n) debt
• life insurance (n) system in which you make regular payments to an insurance company in exchange for a fixed amount of money which will be paid to someone you have named, usually a member of your family, when you die
• limited liability company (n) if this type of business goes bankrupt, then the owners will only risk the money they have invested in the company
• line management (n) direct management of staff
• line of business (n) particular kind of commercial enterprise
• loan (n) sum of money which is borrowed, often from a bank, and has to be paid back, usually together with an additional amount of money that you have to pay as a charge for borrowing
• logo (n) design or symbol used by a company to advertise its products
• loss adjuster (n) person who works for an insurance company and decides how much money should be paid out in each case of something having been damaged or lost
• lucrative (adj) producing a lot of money, profitable
• lump sum (n) sum of money that is paid in one large amount on one occasion



• machine tool (n) mechanically operated tool for cutting or shaping wood, metals, etc.
• mainstream (adj) desired by most people
• make redundant (v) no longer employ someone because there is not enough work
• management reporting (n) monthly report(s) on financial performance produced by management for shareholders
• mandatory (adj) describes something which must be done, or which is demanded by law
• manufacturing base (n) all the companies producing goods in a country or region
• map (v) make a plan in detail
• margin (n) amount by which revenue from sales exceeds cost of sales
• market share (n) percentage of all the sales within a market that are held by one brand or company
• marketing-led (adj) influenced by customers’ needs (as opposed to being product-led)
• memo (n) message or other information in writing sent by one person or department to another in the same business organisation
• mentor (n) person who gives another person help and advice over a period of time and often also teaches them how to do their job
• middle management (n) level between senior management and junior management
• mid-size (adj) describes something that is neither large nor small
• miscellaneous (adj) consisting of a mixture of various things which are not usually connected with each other
• monitor (v) watch and check a situation carefully for a period of time in order to discover something about it
• morale (n) amount of confidence felt by a person or group of people, especially when in a dangerous or difficult situation


• natural wastage (n) reduction in the number of people who work for an organisation which is achieved by not replacing those people who leave
• network (v) meet people who might be useful to know, especially in your job
• niche market (n) small area of trade within the economy, often involving specialised products
• nose-dive take a (v) fall or drop suddenly and by a great deal


• offset (v) balance one influence against an opposing influence, so that there is no great difference as a result
• on site (adv) inside a factory, office building, etc.
• one-off payment (n) money that is paid only once
• one-to-one interview (n) meeting between just two people
• ongoing (adj) continuing to exist or develop, or happening at the present moment
• operating profit (n) measure of profit that a business earns on its normal operations
• order book (n) book in which a company or shop keeps a record of customers’ orders
• out of pocket (adj) having less money than you started with
• outcome (n) result
• outgoings (pl n) amounts of money that regularly have to be spent
• outlay (n) amount of money spent for a particular purpose, especially as a first investment in something
• outperform (v) do well in a particular job or activity compared to others of a similar type
• outplacement service (n) professional service to help redundant employees to search for a new job, paid for by the former employer
• output (n) amount of something produced by a person, machine, factory, country, etc.
• outsourcing (n) the practice of a company paying to have part of its work done by another company
• overdraft (n) an amount of money that a customer with a bank account is temporarily allowed to owe to the bank, or the agreement which allows this
• overheads (pl n) the regular and necessary costs, such as rent and heating, that are involved in operating a business
• over-the-counter sale (n) ordinary sales transaction in a shop
• overtime (n) extra payment for working beyond the usual time
• overtrading (v) operating a business while not having enough money to pay creditors and employees
• overview (v) short description of something which provides general information about it, but no details
• overworked (adj) having to work too much


• package (n) related group of things when they are offered together as a single unit
• patent (v) register the official legal right to make or sell an invention for a particular number of years
• pay off (v) if an investment or risk pays off, it is successful
• payroll (n) list of the people employed by a company
• peak (v) reach the highest, strongest or best point, value or level of skill
• peer group (n) people who are approximately the same age as you and come from a similar social group
• penalty clause (n) part of a contract which punishes the person or organisation doing the work if it is not completed on time
• penetration (n) how much share of a particular market a company or a product manages to achieve
• per capita (adv) if you state an amount per capita, you mean that amount for each person
• performance pay (n) salary that increases when your work improves or becomes more productive
• perk (n) advantage or benefit given to an employee in addition to their salary, e.g. private health care or a company car
• place a premium on (v) especially value
• player (n) important company involved in a market or industry
• plummet (v) fall very quickly and suddenly
• point on the pay scale (n) position on the salary scale which shows different rates of pay depending on your job and your seniority
• point-of-sale display (n) visual presentation for promotional purposes at the place where goods are sold
• pop-up box (also pop-up ad/pop-up) (n) form of online advertising on the World Wide Web when certain websites open a new window to display advertisements
• premise (n) idea or theory on which a statement or action is based
• premises pl (pl n) land and buildings owned by someone, especially by a company or organisation
• presence (n) see global presence
• pre-tax profit (n) money which is earned in trade or business before taxes have been paid
• procedure (n) set of actions which is the official or accepted way of doing something
• proceedings (pl n) series of events that happen in a planned and controlled way
• procurement (n) the obtaining of supplies
• production capacity (n) total amount of resources available to achieve maximum output
• productive (adj) useful
• product-led (adj) activities are determined by the requirements of the product (as opposed to customer-led or marketing-led)
• profit and loss account (n) financial statement that summarises the expenses, losses and overheads of a company, used to calculate the net profit
• profit margin (n) profit that can be made in a business or sale after costs have been subtracted
• profitability (n) capacity to make a profit
• progressive (adj) encouraging change in the way that things are done
• prospect (n) potential purchaser or customer
• proven track record (n) all the successful achievements that someone or something has had in the past
• psychometric test (n) exam to measure scientifically a person’s mental capacities and personality
• publicly accountable (adj) responsible to the government
• pull figures out of the air (v) choose numbers in a random way, rather than one based on evidence or logic
• punitive (adj) used to describe costs which are so high they are difficult to pay, and which are often used to punish someone or limit their activities
• purchase (n) something that you buy
• pursuit (n) when you try to achieve a plan, activity, or situation, usually over a long period of time
• put more on someone’s plate (v) give someone more work to deal with
• put up (money) (v) provide or lend an amount of money for a particular purpose
• put your money where your mouth is (v) show that you believe in something by spending/or investing money



• quality control (n) process of looking at goods when they are being produced to make certain that all the goods are of the intended standard
• quality management (n) managing systems in a company so that each department works effectively and produces products or services of the required standard
• quarterly (adv) once every three months
• query (n) question


• ranks (pl n) the membership of a group or organisation
• rat race (n) struggle of individuals in a competitive environment
• rate (n) level of payment
• rate (v) judge the value or character of someone or something
• realise (v) change into money by selling
• reap the benefits (v) get the benefit, etc. that is the result of your own actions
• recede (v) fall
• recession (n) period when the economy of a country is not successful and conditions for business are bad
• recycle (v) collect and treat rubbish in order to produce useful materials which can be used again
• red tape (n) paperwork
• referral (n) the referring of an individual to an expert for advice
• reformulate (v) develop again all the details of a plan for doing something
• registered letter (n) valuable letter which, for an additional charge, can protect the sender against loss
• regulation (n) official rule
• reinstall (v) put back into position and make ready for use again
• reinvest (v) invest again
• report back (v) bring information to someone in authority
• resettlement package (n) collection of benefits offered to an employee who is relocating to another town, city or country for their work
• retail outlet (n) shop
• retained earnings (pl n) earnings which are kept by the company to invest in future projects, market research, etc.
• retool (v) change or replace machinery in a factory
• retrenchment (n) when an organisation spends less or reduces costs to avoid losing money
• return (n) amount of profit on an investment
• revenue (n) money earned from sales
• reward (n) something given in exchange for good behaviour or good work, etc.
• risk management (n) process of assessing and measuring possible dangers and evolving strategies to deal with them
• risk-averse (adj) have a strong dislike for taking risks
• rocket (v) rise extremely quickly
• rota (n) list of things that have to be done and of the people who will do them
• run at a loss (v) cost more money than is received from sales
• run over time (v) take longer than scheduled
• running costs (pl n) money you need to spend regularly to keep a system or organisation functioning



• sabotage (n) intentional damage to machines, buildings, etc.
• safety procedure (n) official or accepted set of actions used to keep people safe
• sales force (n) all the employees of a company whose job is persuading customers to buy their company’s products or services
• sales pitch (n) way of talking that is intended to persuade you to buy something
• sales volume (n) amount of purchases made
• sample (n) group of people or things that is chosen out of a larger number and is questioned or tested in order to obtain information about the larger group
• scanner (n) device for reading information into a computer system
• scenario (n) description of possible actions or events in the future
• schedule (v) arrange that an event or activity will happen at a particular time
• screen out (v) filter out/remove
• screening (n) examining someone or something to discover if there is anything wrong with them/it
• search engine (n) computer program which finds information on the Internet by looking for words which you have typed in
• self-employed (adj) not working for an employer but finding work for yourself or having your own business
• selling point (n) characteristic of a product which will persuade people to buy it
• semi-skilled (adj) having or needing only a small amount of training
• service agreement (n) contract between two businesses where one agrees to provide a service to the other, or between a landlord and a tenant
• settle your account (v) pay all the money you owe
• shareholder (n) person who owns shares in a company
• shell out (v) pay, especially unwillingly
• shift (n) change in position or direction
• shift (v) sell
• ship (v) send goods by any form of transport to a distant place
• shipper (n) person whose job is to organise the sending of goods from one place to another
• shop around (v) compare the price and quality of the same or a similar item in different shops before you decide which one to buy
• shop-floor worker (n) worker in a factory (the factory is the shop floor)
• shortage (n) when there is not enough of something
• shortfall (n) an amount which is less than the level that was expected or needed
• showroom (n) large shop in which people are encouraged to look at the goods that are on sale before buying them
• shrewd (adj) based on a clear understanding and good judgement of a situation
• shrink (v) become smaller, or make something smaller
• sick leave (n) absence from work because of illness
• slip (v) go into a worse state, often because of lack of control or care
• soar (v) rise very quickly to a high level
• solicit (v) ask for money, information or help
• source (v) get something from a particular place
• specification (n) detailed description of how something should be done, made, etc.
• spending power (n) ability to purchase goods
• sponsor (v) support a person, organisation or activity by giving money, encouragement or other help
• sponsored link (n) text-based advertisement which describes an advertiser’s website and the products and services offered
• spreadsheet (n) computer program, used especially in business, which allows you to do financial calculations and plans
• staffing level (n) the numbers of employees
• stake (n) share or financial involvement in a business
• stakeholder (n) person such as an employee, customer or citizen who is involved with an organisation and therefore has an interest in its success
• stock (n) total amount of goods available
• stock control (n) in a company or shop, the system of making certain that new supplies are ordered and that goods have not been stolen.
• stock exchange (n) place where shares in companies are bought and sold
• stock price (n) valuation of a company’s shares
• stockbroker (n) person or company that buys and sells stocks and shares for other people
• stockpile (v) build up a large store of goods which have not been sold yet
• storage and handling facility (n) place or building used to store and distribute goods
• straight talking (n) direct and straightforward way of communicating with others
• streamline (v) make more efficient
• subcontractor (n) person or company that does part of a job which another person or company is responsible for
• subsidy (n) money given as part of the cost of something, to help or encourage it to happen
• sue (v) take legal action against a person or organisation
• summon (v) officially arrange a meeting of people
• supervision (n) when someone watches a person or activity and makes certain that everything is done correctly, safely, etc.
• supply base (n) range of suppliers and potential suppliers
• surge (v) increase suddenly and greatly
• surveillance (n) the careful watching of a person or place
• survey (n) examination of opinions, behaviour, etc., made by asking people questions
• sustained (adj) continuing for a long time
• symposium (n) occasion at which people who have great knowledge of a particular subject meet in order to discuss a matter of interest
• synergy (n) the combined power of a group of things when they are working together which is greater than the total power achieved by each working separately
• systems engineer (n) person who designs and installs computer systems



• take (someone) for a ride (v) deceive or cheat (someone)
• take off (v) suddenly start to be successful or popular
• take over (v) get control (of a company) by buying most of its shares
• target (n) level or situation which you intend to achieve
• target audience (n) particular group at which advertising is aimed
• tax exposure (n) financial commitment to pay tax
• tax liability (n) amount of tax which must be paid to the government
• team up with (v) work together with
• technophobe (n) person who dislikes or fears new technology
• teleworking (n) the activity of working at home, while communicating with your office by telephone, fax or computer
• temp (n) person employed to work for a short period, especially in an office, while another person is absent or when there is extra work
• tender (n) formal written offer to do a job for an agreed price
• time management (n) skill of administering your time so as to work effectively
• timekeeping (n) ability to arrive at a place at the time expected
• time-share holiday home (adj) when people buy a holiday home together which each person can use for a different part of the year
• track down (v) find by searching or following tracks
• trade away (v) pass on to someone else
• trade press (n) magazine published for and read by members of a particular trade group
• trade tariff (n) tax collected by a government on goods coming into or sometimes going out of a country
• transaction (n) payment or business deal
• transactional (adj) in a way that is a direct business exchange
• trend (n) general development or change in a situation or in the way that people are behaving
• trouble-shooting skills (pl n) ability to remove or solve difficulties
• turnover (n) amount of business that a company does in a period of time measured in terms of the amount of money obtained from customers


• unauthorised (adj) without official permission
• underestimate (v) fail to guess or understand the real cost, size, difficulty, etc. of something and think it is less
• underpaid (adj) paid less than the market rate
• undertaking (n) formal promise
• undervalue (v) consider someone or something as less valuable or important than they really are
• unethical (adj) not morally acceptable
• union (also trade union) (n) organisation that represents the people who work in a particular industry, protects their rights, and discusses their pay and working conditions with employers
• union rep (n) worker elected by workers in a factory or business to represent them in discussions with management
• up and running (adj) operating
• update (v) give someone the most recent information


• vacancy (n) job that no one is doing and is therefore available for someone new to do
• vagaries (pl n) any of a set of unusual or unexpected events or changes that have an effect on someone
• value for money (adj) something well worth the money spent
• VAT return (n) declaration of Value Added Tax (= a type of tax in European countries which is paid by the person who buys goods and services)
• venture (n) new activity, usually in business, which involves risk or uncertainty
• vision (n) ability to imagine how a country, society, industry, etc. could develop in the future and to plan in a suitable way
• voluntary redundancy scheme (n) arrangement when a company needs to reduce its workforce and some employees choose to be made redundant (because they have found another job or would like to stop working)


• white-collar worker (n) person who works in an office or at a professional job, rather than one who works with their hands
• within budget (adv) not exceeding the amount of money you have available to spend
• word of mouth (n) people telling each other how good a product is
• work out (v) calculate
• work–life balance (n) amount of time you spend at work compared with your free time
• workload (n) amount of work to be done, especially by a particular person or machine in a period of time
• workstation (n) area in a workplace where one person works