Business Idioms: A-B

Reading
take a nosedive
MEANING: collapse, fail, decrease in value
EXAMPLE:
The stock market took a nosedive when the earnings of the oil company began to weaken.
take on
MEANING: to give a job to or hire someone
EXAMPLE:
The company took on many new workers during the busy holiday season.
take over
MEANING: take control or possession of something, take charge or responsibility
EXAMPLE:
The government decided to take over the bank after it declared bankruptcy.
take public
MEANING: sell shares in a company to the general public
EXAMPLE:
We decided it was necessary to take our company public in order to raise money to expand our facilities.
take stock
MEANING: count the items of merchandise or supplies in stock, take inventory
EXAMPLE:
The department store closes down for 3 days every March in order to take stock.
throw cold water on
MEANING: discourage, forbid
EXAMPLE:
The managers threw cold water on the plans to close down the factory for one week in August.
throw money at something
MEANING: try to solve a problem by spending money on it
EXAMPLE:
The president of our company is willing to throw a lot of money at the problem in the hope of solving it.
tight spot
MEANING: a difficult situation
EXAMPLE:
The computer manufacturing company has been in a tight spot since the shortage of computer chips appeared.
turn over
MEANING: to buy and then sell something to customers
EXAMPLE:
The turn-over at that discount store is very rapid.
work out
MEANING: plan, develop
EXAMPLE:
I spent the weekend trying to work out the budget estimates for next year.
write off
MEANING: remove from a business record, cancel a debt
EXAMPLE:
It was impossible for the bank to collect the money so they were forced to write off the loan.