letsgoletsgo

blow it

(idiom) /bləʊ ɪt/ ruin a situation

fritter away

(v) /ˈfrɪtər əˌweɪ/ to waste time or money on things that are not important

hassle

(n) /ˈhæsl/ a situation that is annoying because it involves doing sth difficult or complicated that needs a lot of effort

languish

(v) /ˈlæŋɡwɪʃ/ to be forced to stay somewhere or suffer sth unpleasant for a long time

live within your means

(idiom) /lɪv wɪˈðɪn jə(r) ˈmiːnz/ to not spend more money than you have

make ends meet

(phr) /meɪk endz miːt/ to earn just enough money to be able to buy the things you need

(be) on the breadline

(idiom) /ɒn ðə ˈbredlaɪn/ have the lowest level of income on which it is possible to survive

(be) poverty-stricken

(adj) /ˈpɒvəti ˌstrɪkn/ extremely poor; with very little money

premium

(n) /ˈpriːmiəm/ an amount of money that you pay once or regularly for an insurance policy

purge

(n) /pɜːdʒ/ getting rid of sth to improve your situation

savings account

(n) /ˈseɪvɪŋz əˈkaʊnt/ a type of bank account that pays interest on the money that is left in it, but from which you cannot take the money out without giving notice or losing interest

shopping spree

(n) /ˈʃɒpɪŋ spriː/ a short period of time that you spend shopping, buying a lot of things

splash out on

(v) /splæʃ ˈaʊt ɒn/ to spend a lot of money on sth

squander

(v) /ˈskwɒndə(r)/ to waste money, time, etc. in a stupid or careless way

(be) strapped for cash

(adj) /stræpt fə ˈkæʃ/ having little or not enough money

week in, week out

(phr) /wiːk ɪn wiːk aʊt/ happening every week

current account

(n) /ˈkʌrənt əˌkaʊnt/ a type of bank account that you can take money out of at any time, and that provides you with a chequebook and cash card

happen

(v) /ˈhæpən/ to take place, especially without being planned

to die for

(adj) /tə daɪ fɔː(r)/ sth you really want and would do anything to get

boost productivity

(phr) /buːst ˌprodʌkˈtɪvəti/ to cause the rate at which goods are produced (and the amount produced) to increase

boost sales

(phr) /buːst ˈseɪlz/ to cause the number of items sold to increase

conduct a survey

(phr) /kənˌdʌkt ə ˈsɜːveɪ/ to carry out an investigation of the opinions, behaviour, etc. of a particular group of people, usually by asking questions

conduct market analysis

(phr) /kənˌdʌkt ˌmɑːkɪt əˈnæləsɪs/ to study closely the different areas, countries or sections of the population that might buy goods or services

conduct market research

(phr) /kənˌdʌkt ˌmɑːkɪt ˈriːsɜːtʃ/ to collect information about what people buy and why

gain access

(phr) /geɪn ˈækses/ to obtain a way of entering a place or the right to use sth

gain experience

(phr) /geɪn ɪkˈspɪəriəns/ to obtain knowledge and skill through doing sth for a period of time

gain market share

(phr) /geɪn ˌmɑːkɪt ˈʃeə(ði)/ to increase the amount that a company sells of its products or services compared with other companies selling the same things

generate

(v) /ˈdʒenəreɪt/ to produce or create sth

launch a product

(phr) /lɔːntʃ ə ˈprɒdʌkt/ to make a product available to the public for the first time

launch an advertising campaign

(phr) /lɔːntʃ ən ˈædvətaɪzɪŋ kæmˌpeɪn/ to start producing a series of adverts in connection with a particular product

launch an investigation

(phr) /lɔːntʃ ən ɪnˌvestɪˈgeɪʃn/ to start an official examination of the facts about a situation, crime, etc.

lead to

(v) /ˈliːd tə/ to have sth as a result

make a loss

(phr) /meɪk ə ˈlɒs/ to lose money, especially in business

make an impact

(phr) /meɪk ən ˈɪmpækt/ to have a powerful effect on sb/sth

make a profit

(phr) /meɪk ə ˈprɒfɪt/ to make money in business, or by selling things, after paying the costs involved

manipulate behaviour

(phr) /məˈnɪpjuleɪt bɪˈheɪvjə(r)/ to control or influence how people behave

manipulate data

(phr) /məˌnɪpjuleɪt ˈdeɪtə/ to control or use information in a skilful way to find things out or to make decisions

manipulate our minds

(phr) /məˌnɪpjuleɪt ɑː ˈmaɪndz/ to control or influence sb/sth, often in a dishonest way so that they do not realize it

manipulate public opinion

(phr) /məˌnɪpjuleɪt ˌpʌblɪk əˈpɪnjən/ to control or influence the opinions that people in society have in a dishonest way so that they do not realize it

outstrip rivals

(phr) /aʊtˌstrɪp ˈraɪvlz/ to be faster, better or more successful than sb you are competing against

outstrip supply

(phr) /aʊtˌstrɪp səˈplaɪ/ to be greater than the amount available

outstrip the competition

(phr) /ˌaʊtˈstrɪp ðə ˌkɒmpəˈtɪʃn/ to be faster, better or more successful than sb you are competing against

set up a company

(phr) /set ʌp ə ˈkʌmpəni/ to create or start a business that makes money by producing or selling goods or services

set up a display

(phr) /set ʌp ə dɪˈspleɪ/ to build an arrangement of things in a public place to inform or entertain people or advertise sth for sale

set up an advertising agency

(phr) /set ʌp ən ˈædvətaɪzɪŋ ˌeɪdʒənsi/ to create or start a business that provides a service designing and producing adverts on behalf of other companies

dip

(v) /dɪp/ to go downwards or to a lower level

escalate

(v) /ˈeskəleɪt/ to become or make sth greater, worse, more serious, etc.

fluctuating

(adj) /ˈflʌktʃueɪtɪŋ/ sth that changes frequently in size, amount, quality, etc., especially from one extreme to another

gradual

(adj) /ˈgrædʒuəl/ happening slowly over a long period; not sudden

moderate

(adj) /ˈmɒdərət/ sth that is neither very good, large, hot, etc., nor very bad, small, cold, etc.

plummet

(v) /ˈplʌmɪt/ to fall suddenly and quickly from a high level or position

rocket

(v) /ˈrɒkɪt/ to increase very quickly and suddenly

sharp

(adj) /ʃɑːp/ sudden and rapid, especially of a change in sth

significant

(adj) /sɪgˈnɪfɪkənt/ large or important enough to have an effect or to be noticed

slump

(v) /slʌmp/ to fall in price, value, number, etc., suddenly and by a large amount

soar

(v) /sɔː(r)/ to rise very quickly

stable

(adj) /ˈsteɪbl/ firmly fixed; not likely to move, change or fail

steady

(adj) /ˈstedi/ developing, growing, etc. gradually and in an even and regular way

surge

(v) /sɜːdʒ/ to move quickly and with force in a particular direction

tumble

(v) /ˈtʌmbl/ to fall suddenly and in a dramatic way

volatile

(adj) /ˈvɒlətaɪl/ likely to change suddenly; easily becoming dangerous

account for

(v) /əˈkaʊnt fə(r)/ to be the explanation or cause of sth

arise (from)

(v) /əˈraɪz/ (especially of a problem or a difficult situation) to happen; to start to exist

attribute to

(v) /əˈtrɪbjuːt tə/ to say or believe that sth is the result of a particular thing

bring about

(v) /brɪŋ əˈbaʊt/ to make sth happen

give rise to

(idiom) /gɪv ˈraɪz tə/ to cause sth to happen or exist

perpetuate

(v) /pəˈpetʃueɪt/ to make sth such as a bad situation, a belief, etc. continue for a long time

result (in / from)

(v) /rɪˈzʌlt/ to make sth happen

trigger

(v) /ˈtrɪgə(r)/ to make sth happen suddenly

boost profits

(phr) /buːst ˈprɒfɪts/ to cause an increase in the amount of money that you make in business after paying the costs involved

make a deal

(phr) /meɪk ə ˈdiːl/ to agree, especially in business, on particular conditions for buying or doing sth

outstrip inflation

(phr) /aʊtˌstrɪp ɪnˈfleɪʃn/ to be faster than the general rise in the prices of services and goods in a particular country

struggle to make ends meet

(idiom) /ˌstrʌgl tə ˌmeɪk endz ˈmiːt/ to try very hard and find it difficult to earn just enough money to buy the things you need

comprehensive policy

(n) /ˌkɒmprɪˌhensɪv ˈpɒləsi/ a contract of insurance that covers all the possible risks

contactless card

(n) /ˈkɒntæktləs kɑːd/ a small plastic card which stores information electronically and can contact an electronic device to which it is not connected in order to make a payment

direct debit

(n) /dəˌrekt, dɪ-, daɪ- ˈdebɪt/ an instruction to your bank to allow sb else to take an amount of money from your account on a particular date, especially to pay bills

liability

(n) /ˌlaɪəˈbɪləti/ the amount of money that a person or company owes

line (of products / cosmetics / clothing)

(n) /laɪn/ a type of product

loss leader

(n) /ˈlɒs ˌliːdə(r)/ an item that a shop/store sells at a very low price to attract customers

(branded / counterfeit / official) merchandise

(n) /ˈmɜːtʃəndaɪs/ goods that are bought or sold; goods that are for sale in a shop/store

no-claims bonus

(n) /nəʊ ˈkleɪmz ˌbəʊnəs/ a reduction in the cost of your insurance because you made no claims in the previous year

(retail / fast-food / local) outlet

(n) /ˈaʊtlet/ a shop/store or an organization that sells goods made by a particular company or of a particular type

point-of-sale (terminal / advertising / display)

(n) /ˌpɔɪnt əv ˈseɪl/ the place where a product is sold

pop-up (shop / restaurant / gallery)

(adj) /ˈpɒp ʌp/ that opens quickly somewhere and is designed to only use that location for a short period of time

seconds

(n) /ˈsekəndz/ items sold at a lower price than usual because they are not perfect

sort code

(n) /ˈsɔːt kəʊd/ a number that is used to identify a particular bank

standing order

(n) /ˌstændɪŋ ˈɔːdə(r)/ an instruction that you give your bank to pay sb a fixed amount of money from your account on the same day each week/month, etc.

(energy / equipment / major) supplier

(n) /səˈplaɪə(r)/ a person or company that provides goods

third-party

(adj) /ˈθɜːd ˌpɑ:ti/ relating to or involving insurance that pays sb who is affected by your actions

adapt

(v) /əˈdæpt/ to change your behaviour in order to deal more successfully with a new situation

bear out

(phr v) /beə(r) aʊt/ confirm

birdbrained

(adj) /ˈbɜːdbreɪnd/ stupid

(have a) brain like a sieve

(idiom) /breɪn laɪk ə sɪv/ to have a very bad memory; to forget things easily

brain-teaser

(n) /ˈbreɪn ˌtiːzə(r)/ a problem that is difficult but fun to solve

brainchild

(n) /ˈbreɪntʃaɪld/ an idea or invention of one person or a small group of people

brainiac

(n) /ˈbreɪniæk/ a very intelligent person

brainwash

(v) /ˈbreɪnwɒʃ/ to force sb to accept your ideas or beliefs, for example by repeating the same thing many times or by preventing the person from thinking clearly

brainwave

(n) /ˈbreɪnweɪv/ a sudden good idea

build up

(phr v) /bɪld ʌp/ develop

come up with

(phr v) /kʌm ʌp wɪð/ to find or produce an answer