Work and Study

rote-learning

learning by memorizing through repetition rather than understanding.

mnemonics

techniques or tricks that help you remember information.

composition

a piece of writing, especially a formal or academic one.

dissertation

a long academic paper written as part of a degree.

thesis

a long academic paper, or the main argument that a paper tries to prove.

academic journal

a publication containing scholarly articles, usually written by researchers.

inherent in

naturally existing as a permanent or essential part of something.

perpetuate

to make something continue, especially something undesirable.

comprehensive

complete and covering all or nearly all aspects of something.

endowment

money or property given to an institution to provide financial support.

merit

a good quality or feature that makes something worthy of consideration or praise.

tertiary

relating to education after secondary school, especially university education.

tuition

the money paid for education, especially at a school or university.

literacy

the ability to read and write.

numeracy

the ability to understand and work with numbers.

arithmetic

basic mathematics involving numbers and calculations

curriculum

the subjects and material taught in an educational program.

syllabus

a detailed outline of the subjects and topics covered in a particular course.

get to grips with

to begin to understand or deal with something difficult.

provision

something that is provided, especially a service or resources; also, a condition in an agreement or law.

prospect

the possibility or likelihood of something happening, especially something positive in the future.

pension

regular money paid to someone after they retire.

practical

useful and suitable for real-life situations rather than theoretical.

subsidized

partly paid for by the government or another organization, making something cheaper.

panel

a group of people chosen to discuss, judge, or make a decision about something.

shortlisted

selected as one of the final candidates from a larger group.

outline

a general description or plan showing the main points of something.

in-house

done within an organization by its own employees, rather than by an outside company.

conduct

to organize or carry out an activity, such as a meeting, interview, or study.

reporting structure

the system showing who reports to whom within an organization.

lest

used to say that something should be avoided because it might cause something undesirable.

cascade

to fall or flow down in stages; also, a series of things happening one after another.

compulsory

required by a rule or law; mandatory.

opposite number

a person in another organization who has the same position or role as you.

counterpart

a person or thing with the same role or function as another in a different place or organization.

job-share

an arrangement where two people share the duties and hours of one full-time job.

hot-desking

a system where employees do not have permanent desks and use whichever desk is available.

rapport

a good, friendly relationship in which people understand and communicate well with each other.

take the initiative

to act without waiting for someone else to tell you what to do.

hierarchical

organized into levels of authority or importance.

pecking order

an informal hierarchy showing who has more power, status, or importance.

talk shop

to talk about work, especially when you are not at work.

stimulating

interesting or exciting in a way that encourages thought or activity.

knock off

to stop or finish work

mechanical

involving machines; also, done automatically or without much thought or feeling.

long-haul

involving a long distance or a long period of time.

go in with somebody

to join someone, especially as a business partner or to share an investment.

mind-numbing

extremely boring or repetitive, making it difficult to think clearly.

technician

someone skilled in using, repairing, or maintaining technical equipment or machinery.

refuse collector

a person whose job is to collect rubbish/garbage.

concise

brief and clear, using no unnecessary words.

entitlement

the right to receive or have something, usually because of a law, rule, or agreement.

run-of-the-mill

ordinary, average, and not particularly interesting or special.

holiday entitlement

the amount of paid holiday/vacation time an employee has the right to take.

perk

an extra benefit provided by a job, in addition to salary.

skeleton staff

the smallest number of employees needed to keep a business or service operating.

morale

the level of confidence, enthusiasm, and motivation within a person or group.

looking to

intending or planning to do something; hoping to achieve something.

recession

a period when economic activity decreases significantly.

compulsory redundancies

job losses where employees are required to leave because their positions are no longer needed.

telesales

selling products or services by telephone.

cold-calling

contacting someone unexpectedly, usually to try to sell them something.

hard sell

a very forceful or aggressive approach to selling something.

shop around

to compare prices or products from different sellers before buying.

merchant

a person or company that buys and sells goods.

trade up

to replace something with a better or more expensive version.

part with money

to spend or give away money, often reluctantly

merchandise

goods or products that are sold.

loss-leader

a product sold very cheaply, sometimes at a loss, to attract customers who may buy other things.

merger

the combination of two companies or organizations into one.

niche market

a small, specialized part of a market aimed at a particular group of customers.

come/go under the hammer

to be sold at an auction

bid

an offer of a particular amount of money to buy something.

bidder

a person or organization that makes a bid

lucrative

producing a lot of money or profit.

red tape

excessive official rules and procedures that cause delays or difficulties.

bureaucracy

a system of administration involving official rules, procedures, and levels of authority.

administration

the management and organization of a business, institution, or government.

capital assets

valuable long-term assets owned by a business, such as buildings, land, or machinery.

hammer out a deal

to reach an agreement through difficult or lengthy negotiation.

let

rent out

letting agency

A company that helps land lords rent out their properties to tenants