Business English Vocabulary and Idioms

A comprehensive list of business English vocabulary, phrasal verbs, and professional idioms translated from the lecture notes to help improve communication in a corporate environment.

burn out

To become exhausted from long-term overwork.

burn through

To spend capital or resources at a very fast pace.

pencil in

To schedule a meeting or appointment provisionally, with the possibility of later changes.

circle back

To return to a discussion or continue a conversation about a specific issue at a later time.

touch base

To briefly make contact with someone to check statuses or share news.

flesh out

To add more details to a plan, idea, or concept to make it more complete.

wind down

To gradually bring a project or a workday to a smooth conclusion.

climb up

To move up the career ladder or advance through a company's hierarchy.

slack off

To work lazily or put in significantly less effort than is required.

spearhead

To lead a team, project, or important initiative as the primary initiator.

crunch time

A busy or critical period immediately preceding a strict deadline.

bandwidth

The mental, temporal, or physical capacity required to take on a new task.

boondoggle

A useless or wasteful activity that squanders time and is funded by the company.

freemium

A business model where basic software is provided for free, while advanced features require payment.

micromanage

To excessively control every small detail, step, and action of subordinates.

deliverables

The specific end products or results expected from a project.

blue-sky thinking

Creative thinking or brainstorming ideas without any practical or financial constraints.

deep dive

A thorough, comprehensive, and in-depth analysis of a specific topic.

ping (someone)

To send a quick message, notification, or reminder via a messenger app.

vibe check

An informal assessment of a team's mood or the general atmosphere in a collective.

bite the bullet

To finally decide to take a difficult, unpleasant, but inevitable action.

move the needle

To make a noticeable and significant contribution that produces a real result or improvement.

on the same page

To have a common and agreed-upon understanding or vision of a situation.

cut corners

To do something hastily or poorly in order to save time or money, often sacrificing quality.

keep in the loop

To regularly inform someone about the progress of affairs or any changes.

back to the drawing board

To start over from the very first planning stage because a previous plan failed completely.

put on the back burner

To temporarily make a task or project a lower priority.

call it a day

To stop current work activities and finish for the day.

hit the ground running

To start a new process immediately with maximum efficiency and without needing time to ramp up.

perk

An additional benefit, bonus, or privilege added to a salary, such as free lunches or gym memberships.