Work, money and the economy

Jobs, careers, shopping, advertising and the global economy.

120 words

employmentB1nounthe situation of having a paid job, or the number of people who have jobs
unemploymentB1nounthe situation of not having a job, or the number of people without jobs
workforceC1nounall the people who work in a company, industry or country
recruitmentC1nounthe process of finding and hiring new people to work for an organization
redundancyC2nounlosing your job because your employer no longer needs your work; also the state of being unnecessary
retirementB2nounthe time when you stop working, usually because of your age, or the act of stopping
pensionB2nounmoney paid regularly to someone who has stopped working because of their age
promotionB1nouna move to a more important job in the same company; also activity that helps sell a product
workloadC1nounhow much work a person or team has to get done in a certain period
overtimeB2nountime you work beyond your normal hours, or the extra money paid for it
commuteB2verbto travel regularly between your home and your work or school
telecommuteB2verbto work from home using the internet and phone instead of going to an office
freelanceB2adjectiveworking for different companies on separate jobs instead of being employed by one company
entrepreneurB2nounsomeone who starts their own business, often taking financial risks to do it
professionB1nouna type of job that needs special training and education, such as law or medicine
salaryB1nounthe fixed amount of money you get from your employer, usually every month
wageB2nounmoney paid regularly for work, often by the hour, day or week
incentiveB2nounsomething, such as money or a reward, that encourages people to do something
productivityC1nounhow much a person, machine or company produces compared with the time or money used
moraleC1nounthe amount of confidence and enthusiasm that a group of people feel
burnoutB2nouna state of extreme tiredness and stress caused by working too hard for a long time
colleagueB2nouna person you work with, especially in a profession or an office
supervisorB2nouna person whose job is to watch over other workers or students and make sure the work is done well
subordinateC1nouna person who has a lower position than someone else at work
appraisalC1nouna careful judgment of how good, valuable or successful someone or something is
resignationB2nounthe act of leaving a job or position, or calm acceptance of something bad you cannot change
layoffB2nounthe act of ending a worker’s job because the company has less work or less money
vacancyB1nouna job that is available for someone to do; also a free room in a hotel
applicantB2nouna person who formally asks for something, such as a job, a visa or a place at university
candidateB2nouna person who is being considered for a job, or who is trying to be elected
shortlistB2verbto put a person or thing on a list of the best choices, from which the final choice is made
probationB2nouna trial period at the start of a job, when your employer decides if you are suitable
globalizationB2nounthe process by which businesses, ideas and cultures spread and connect around the world
multinationalB2adjectiveoperating or involving several countries, especially of a large company
outsourcingC1nounthe practice of paying another company to do work that your own company could do
tradeB2verbto buy and sell goods or services, or to exchange one thing for another
tariffC1nouna tax that a government puts on goods coming into or leaving a country
importB2verbto bring goods into a country from another country to sell them
exportB2verbto sell and send goods to another country
economyB1nounthe system by which a country produces goods and services and uses money
economicB1adjectiveconnected with trade, industry and money in a country or area
recessionB2nouna period when a country's economy is weak, with less trade and fewer jobs
inflationB2nouna general rise in prices, which means money buys less than before
investmentB2nounmoney, time or effort put into something to get a benefit later, or the thing you put money into
consumerB1nouna person who buys and uses goods or services
consumerismC1nounthe belief that buying and owning more things is important, or the habit of doing so
materialismC2nounthe belief that money and possessions matter most in life; also the idea that only physical things exist
bargainB1nounsomething bought for less than its usual price; also an agreement between people
discountB1nounan amount of money taken off the usual price of something
refundB1nounmoney that is given back to you, for example when you return something you bought
warrantyB1nouna written promise from a company to repair or replace a product if it breaks within a set time
retailerB2nouna person or company that sells goods directly to the public, usually in shops or online
retailB1nounthe business of selling goods to the public, usually in shops or online
wholesaleC1adjectiveconnected with selling goods in large amounts to shops; also affecting almost everything
loyaltyB2nounthe quality of staying faithful and supportive to a person, group, country or idea
impulseB2nouna sudden strong wish to do something without thinking about it first
splurgeB2verbto spend a lot of money on something you don't really need but enjoy
counterfeitC1adjectivemade as a copy of something valuable, such as money or brand goods, to trick people
checkoutB1nounthe place in a shop where you pay for the things you are buying
installmentB2nounone of several regular payments you make until you have paid the full price of something
debtB1nounmoney that you owe to a person, bank or company
loanB2nounan amount of money that you borrow and must pay back, usually with interest
savingsB2nounmoney that you have kept, often in a bank, instead of spending it
incomeB1nounthe money a person or organization receives regularly, for example from work or investments
revenueB2nounthe money that a business or government receives, especially from selling goods or collecting taxes
profitB2nounmoney you make in business after you have paid all your costs
deficitB2nounthe amount by which money spent or owed is more than money received; also a lack of something
surplusC1nounan amount that is more than what is needed or used; also money left after paying all costs
affordableB2adjectivecheap enough for ordinary people to pay for
affordB1verbto have enough money or time to buy or do something
luxuryB1noungreat comfort and expensive things, or something nice that you do not really need
bankruptB2adjectiveunable to pay your debts, so that a court takes control of your money and property
bankruptcyB2nounthe state of being legally unable to pay your debts
affluentC1adjectivehaving a lot of money and a comfortable life
prosperityC1nounthe state of being successful and having plenty of money
marketingB2nounthe work of advertising and promoting products so that people will buy them
sloganB1nouna short phrase that is easy to remember, used in advertising or politics
billboardB2nouna very large outdoor sign that shows an advertisement, usually beside a road
endorseB2verbto say publicly that you support or approve of a person, product or plan
endorsementC1nounpublic support for someone or something; also a deal in which a famous person promotes a product
manipulateB2verbto control or influence someone or something in a clever, often unfair way; also to handle something skillfully
gimmickB2nouna clever trick or feature meant to get people's interest or sell a product, often without real value
developingB2adjective(of a country) poorer and with less industry, but growing; also growing or changing
aidB1nounhelp, especially money, food or equipment for people in need
donorB2nouna person or group that gives money, blood or a body part to help others
shiftB2nouna set period of work in a day, or a change in position, opinion or direction
deadlineB1nouna fixed time or day by which something must be finished
workplaceB1nouna place such as an office or factory where people do their jobs
teamworkB1nounthe work done well by a group of people who help each other to reach a goal
leadershipB1nounthe ability or position of guiding a group, or the people who lead an organization
initiativeB2nouna new plan to solve a problem; also the ability to act and decide things without being told
flexibleB2adjectiveable to change easily to suit new situations, or able to bend without breaking
careerB1nounthe series of jobs a person does over many years, usually in one area of work
boutiqueB2nouna small shop that sells fashionable clothes or special gifts
outletB2nounan organization that publishes news, a way of releasing a feeling, or a shop selling one brand
marketplaceB2nounthe world of buying and selling, where companies compete for customers
vendorC1nouna person who sells things in the street; also a company that sells a product or service
stallB1nouna small table or open booth where goods are sold, especially in a market
haggleC1verbto argue with a seller to agree on a lower price
purchaseB2verbto buy something, especially something large or expensive (a formal word)
exchangeB1verbto give something to someone and get something from them in return
deliveryB1nounthe act of bringing goods, letters or food to a person or place
packageB1nounsomething wrapped or in a box for sending by post; also a set of things offered together
parcelB1nounsomething wrapped in paper or put in a box so it can be sent by post
recruitB2verbto find new people to join a company, organization or team
hireB1verbto take on a person as a worker, or pay someone to do one particular task
fireB2verbto make someone leave their job; also to shoot a gun or other weapon
dismissB2verbto officially remove someone from their job; also to decide that an idea is not worth thinking about
commissionB2nounmoney paid to a salesperson for each sale; also an official group that investigates or controls something
perkB2nounan extra benefit that you get from your job, such as a free meal or a company car
contractB2nounan official written agreement between people or companies that the law says they must keep
permanentB1adjectivelasting for a very long time or for ever; not expected to change
temporaryB1adjectivelasting or used for only a short time, not for ever
internshipB2nouna period of temporary work, often unpaid, that a student does to gain experience
growthB1nounan increase in size, amount or importance
boomC1nouna sudden period of fast growth, or a loud deep sound
deflationC1nouna fall in the general level of prices in a country, so money buys more
investorB2nouna person or organization that puts money into a business or property to make a profit
stockC1verbto keep a supply of goods to sell; also to fill a place with food or other things
dividendC1nounpart of a company's profit that is paid to the people who own its shares