Term
|
Definition
to have the same opinion as someone
"All bankers are evil."
"I don't agree with you." |
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Term
BE ABOUT TO
(do something) |
|
Definition
to be close to doing something:
"I was about to leave the house when my friends came." |
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Term
BE BACK
(no direct object) |
|
Definition
to return
"I have to go out but I'll be back before 11." |
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Term
|
Definition
to use something and not have anything left:
"We're out of pens - the consultants used them all." |
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Term
BE OVER
(no direct object) |
|
Definition
to be finished
"We'll go to lunch when the meeting is over." |
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Term
BREAK DOWN
(no direct object) |
|
Definition
to stop working; to fail
"Negotiations broke down when the businesses couldn't reach an agreement." |
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Term
|
Definition
to return someone's phone call:
"She's not at her desk right now. Could you please call her back in 15 minutes?" |
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Term
|
Definition
to meet a promise that you made:
"The President carried out his promise to reduce the deficit". |
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Term
|
Definition
to continue doing something:
"Sorry - I didn't mean to interrupt you. Please carry on." |
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Term
|
Definition
to solve or explain something
"We had to clear up a misunderstanding about who was going to work on Saturday night." |
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Term
|
Definition
to make something clean and neat:
"Around here, everyone clears up their desks every night before they go home." |
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Term
|
Definition
to meet or find somebody/something by chance:
"We came across Joaquin and Ana having lunch together." |
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Term
|
Definition
to make a particular impression on other people.
"He's basically OK but he comes across as a bit of a know-it-all." |
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Term
|
Definition
to return
"He's away on holiday but he's coming back next Monday." |
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Term
COME IN
(no direct object) |
|
Definition
to enter a space:
"It's cold outside -- come in!" |
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Term
COME ON
(no direct object)
(usually imperative) |
|
Definition
to hurry:
"Come on, or we're going to be late!" |
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Term
|
Definition
to cut all of something into little pieces
"Cutting your credit cards up is a great way to help you save money." |
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Term
|
Definition
to consume less of something:
"If you cut down on caffeine, you might sleep better at night." |
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Term
|
Definition
to stop the supply of something:
"Telefónica will cut off your phone connection if you don't pay your bill." |
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Term
|
Definition
to be related to a topic:
"What's a CDO?"
"It's something to do with banking." |
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Term
DO WITHOUT
(something or somebody) |
|
Definition
to function without somebody/something:
"He's a disaster - he absolutey can't do without his personal assistant." |
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Term
|
Definition
to make or write something that needs careful thought or planning
"Ask the lawyer to draw up a contract." |
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Term
|
Definition
to find yourself in a place or situation that you did not intend or expect to be in:
"Most real estate companies didn't want to end up declaring bankruptcy." |
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Term
|
Definition
to think about somebody/something until you understand them/it:
"No one could figure out how the bank went bankrupt." |
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Term
|
Definition
to calculate an amount or the cost of something:
"It's easy to figure out how much the discount is - just add a bit to the sales tax." |
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Term
|
Definition
to obtain something again after having lost it:
"She got her old job back." |
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Term
|
Definition
= WRITE DOWN
"Did you get his phone number down?" |
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Term
| GET BEHIND WITH (something) |
|
Definition
to fail to make enough progress or to produce something at the right time:
"We're really getting behind with the documentation on the project." |
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Term
|
Definition
to start a career in a particular profession:
"What's the best way to get into merchant banking?" |
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Term
|
Definition
to return something to its owner:
"Could you please give this file back to Roger?" |
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|
Term
|
Definition
to stop trying to do something
"She's given up trying to find a new job." |
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Term
| GO ALONG WITH (somebody/something) |
|
Definition
to agree with somebody/something:
"I don't go along with her views on fiscal reform." |
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Term
GO DOWN
(no direct object) |
|
Definition
to decrease in level:
"Unemployment won't go down any time soon." |
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Term
|
Definition
to revise or review something, especially to check for mistakes:
"Be sure to go over that proposal before you send it to the client." |
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Term
|
Definition
to look at or examine something carefully, especially in order to find something:
"Most people go through their e-mail as soon as they get to the office." |
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|
Term
GO THROUGH WITH
(something) |
|
Definition
to do what is necessary to complete a course of action, especially one that is difficult or unpleasant:
"Due to the current economic situation, the company will have to go through with massive layoffs." |
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Term
GO UNDER
(no direct object) |
|
Definition
when a business runs out of money or declares bankruptcy.
"Did you see that Diane's shop is going under?"
"Yes...unfortunately she's been having cash flow problems for months." |
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Term
|
Definition
increase; higher level
"The price of a barrel of oil has gone up by $5 this week." |
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Term
|
Definition
to end a telephone call:
"If someone calls me from a telemarketing company, I just hang up." |
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|
Term
HANG ON / HOLD ON
(no direct object) |
|
Definition
wait:
"Is Tomás there?"
"Hang on - he's just stepped away from his desk but will be back shortly." |
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Term
| HAVE (something) AGAINST (someone) |
|
Definition
to dislike someone a lot, especially for a specific reason:
"What do you have against the bank? They've always helped you." |
|
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Term
|
Definition
to make something stay at a low level; to avoid increasing something:
"High unemployment has helped to keep wages down." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
to continue working at something:
"The client was very uncooperative, but we kept at the negotiations until we reached an agreement." |
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|
Term
KEEP UP WITH
(someone/something) |
|
Definition
maintain the same level as:
"Wages aren't keeping up with inflation." |
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|
Term
|
Definition
to demolish or destroy something:
"They had to knock down the burnt structure of the Windsor building." |
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|
Term
|
Definition
to stop employing somebody because there is not enough work for them to do:
"The airline has laid off more than two hundred employees."
(** Note that this phrasal verb is often used in the passive voice: "to be laid off".) |
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|
Term
| LEAVE (someone/something) BEHIND |
|
Definition
to make much better progress than somebody or something:
"Britain is being left behind in the race for new markets." |
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Term
|
Definition
to stop doing something:
"Start checking from where you left off last time." |
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Term
|
Definition
to look for information in a dictionary or reference book, or by using a computer:
"I can't remember that statistic; I'd better look it up." |
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|
Term
LOOK FORWARD TO
(something) |
|
Definition
to anticipate or be excited about something:
"I'm really looking forward to my holidays!" |
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|
Term
LOOK UP
(no direct object) |
|
Definition
to become better:
"It'll be a long time before the economy starts to look up." |
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|
Term
MAKE (something) OUT/
MAKE OUT (something) |
|
Definition
to write out or complete a form or document
"He made out a cheque for €100 for the charity.) |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
to help to make something possible:
"Constant complaining doesn't make for a happy workplace." |
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|
Term
MAKE UP (something)/
MAKE (something) UP |
|
Definition
to replace something that has been lost; to compensate for something:
"Can I leave early this afternoon and make up the time tomorrow?" |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
to mention something in order to give somebody information about it or make them notice it:
"He pointed out that the contract was invalid because it had not yet been signed." |
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|
Term
| PUT (something) DOWN TO (something) |
|
Definition
to consider that something is caused by something:
"We all put his success down to his romantic relationship with the boss!" |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
to give something as a rule or policy:
"Cancellation charges are set out in the paragraphs below." |
|
|
Term
STAND UP
(TO + something) |
|
Definition
to remain valid even when tested, examined closely, etc:
"The computer servers stood up to the increased web traffic." |
|
|
Term
| TAKE (somebody/something) ON |
|
Definition
to decide to do something; to agree to be responsible for something/somebody:
"The firm is not taking on any new clients at this time." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
to gain control of a business, a company, etc, especially by buying shares:
"CBS Records was taken over by Sony." |
|
|
Term
| TURN (someone/something) DOWN |
|
Definition
to reject or refuse to consider an offer, a proposal, etc. or the person who makes it:
"He has been turned down for ten jobs so far." |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
to sell goods and replace them:
"Large grocery stores try to turn their vegetables over as quickly as possible." |
|
|
Term
TURN UP
(no direct object) |
|
Definition
to be found, especially by chance, after being lost:
"Don't worry too much about the letter; I'm sure it'll turn up." |
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Term
|
Definition
to use all of something so that there is none left:
"Be sure to use up all the printer cartridges before we order more." |
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