Business English Dictionary – A

Business English Dictionary - A Espresso English

Learn business English from A to Z!

accountant (n.)

An accountant is a person who works with the company’s money and financial records.

  • My brother’s an accountant. He’s always had a talent for math.

across the board (idiom)

If something happens “across the board,” it means that it affects everybody.

  • Salaries were raised by 5% across the board. Everyone in the office was happy!

adequate (adj.)

If there are adequate resources, it means there are enough resources. “Adequate” is just a fancy word for enough or sufficient.

  • Does she have adequate training for the job?

adjust (v.) / adjustment (n.)

If you adjust something, it means you make a small change.

  • We made a few adjustments to the budget – we cut spending on advertisement by 1% and raised the budget for recruitment by 3%.

advertising campaign (n.)

An advertising campaign (also ad campaign) is an organized program of publicity that can include TV commercials, outdoor advertising like signs and billboards, online ads, etc.

  • The marketing department is preparing a huge ad campaign for Christmas.

afford (v.)

If you can afford something, it means you have enough money to pay for it.

  • We can’t afford the new equipment – it’s very expensive, and sales have been down this month.

allow (v.)

To allow is to permit or to let happen.

  • My boss allows me to work from home one day a week.

analyze (v.) / analysis (n.)

If you analyze something, it means you examine or study it methodically. The result of this study is called an analysis.

  • I’m doing a market analysis to find out if there’s a demand for our new product.

approve (v.) / approval (n.)

If you approve something, it means you say it is good. The action or result of doing this is called an approval.

  • Our department can’t spend more than $10,000 without the manager’s approval.

approximately (adj.)

If you say there are approximately 100 people in the company, it means that the true number is close to 100 (but not exactly).

  • Last year, the company made approximately $3 million in sales.

assessment (n.)

An assessment is an evaluation. It is often used in evaluating the financial value of something (such as for tax purposes).

  • Before buying property, it’s important to do an assessment of its value.

assign (v.) / assignment (n.)

If your boss assigns you some work, it means he or she gives you the work for you to do. The work that your boss made you responsible for is called an assignment.

  • The manager assigned me a new project.

attorney (n.)

An attorney is a person who can legally act as the agent of another person or company, especially in legal processes.

  • The company’s attorney signed the documents.

audit (n. and v.)

An audit is an official check of financial records to confirm that they are correct.

  • Our company’s records are audited every year.

authorize (v.) / authorization (n.)

If the president of the company authorizes you to do something, it means he or she gives you the power to do it. This power or permission is called authorization.

  • The director authorized me to work with the confidential information.

average (adj.)

The average is the number in the middle of a group of numbers. For example, the average of 5 and 10 is 7.5.

  • The average age of our customers is 40.

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Business English Dictionary - A Espresso English

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