Vocabulary - Learn English

Word Part of speech		Meaning	Example Sentence
absent adj		not present	The vice president is absent due to unforeseen circumstances.
accomplish verb		succeed in doing	We have a lot to accomplish today, so let's begin.
address verb		deal with; speak on	I hope we do not have to address this matter again in the future.
adjourn verb		close a meeting	If there are no further comments, we will adjourn the meeting here.
agenda noun		list of objectives to cover in a meeting	Please forward the agenda to anyone who is speaking at the meeting.
AGM noun(abbr.)		Annual (yearly) General Meeting	We always vote for a new chairperson at the AGM.
allocate verb		assign roles/tasks to certain people	I forgot to allocate someone to bring refreshments.
AOB noun(abbr.)		Any Other Business (unspecified item on agenda)	The last item on the agenda is AOB.
apologies noun		item on agenda announcing people who are absent; apologies for absence	Everyone is present today, so we can skip the apologies.
ballot noun		a type of vote, usually in writing and usually secret	Please fold your ballot in half before you place it in the box.
board of directors noun		group of elected members of an organization/company who meet to make decisions	The board of directors meets once a month to discuss the budget.
boardroom noun		a large meeting room, often has one long table and many chairs	The boardroom is reserved for a managers' meeting, so we'll have to meet in the lounge.
brainstorm verb		thinking to gather ideas	Let's take a few minutes and brainstorm some ways that we can cut costs.
casting vote noun		deciding vote (usually by the chairman) when the votes are otherwise equal	The role of treasurer was decided based on the chairman's casting vote.
chairperson/chair noun		the person who leads or presides at a meeting	As chair, it is my pleasure to introduce to you, Mr. Allan Davis.
clarification/verification noun		explanation/proof that something is true/understood	Before we address this matter, I'll need some clarification as to who was involved.
closing remarks noun		last thoughts spoken in a meeting (i.e. reminders, thank yous)	I just have a few closing remarks and then you will all be free to go.
collaborate verb		work together as a pair/group	The board fell apart because the members had difficulty collaborating.
commence verb		begin	We will commence as soon as the last person signs the attendance sheet.
comment verb or noun		express one's opinions or thoughts	If you have a comment, please raise your hand rather than speak out.
conference noun		formal meeting for discussion, esp. a regular one held by an organisation	Before the conference there will be a private meeting for board members only.
conference call noun		telephone meeting between three or more people in different locations	Please make sure I have no interruptions while I'm on the conference call.
confidential adjective		private; not to be shared	Any financial information shared during this meeting should be kept confidential.
consensus noun		general agreement	If we cannot come to a consensus by the end of the meeting we will put it to a vote.
deadline noun		due date for completion	The deadline for buying tickets to the conference is May 25th.
designate verb		assign	If no one volunteers to take the minutes I will be forced to designate someone.
formality noun		a procedure (often unnecessary) that has to be followed due to a rule	Everyone knows who is going to be the next vice president, so this vote is really just a formality.
grievance noun		complaint	The first item on the agenda relates to a grievance reported by the interns.
guest speaker noun		person who joins the group in order to share information or deliver a speech	I am delighted to welcome our guest speaker Holly, who is going to be offering some sales pitch tips.
implement verb		make something happen; follow through	It's not a question of whether or not we're going to use this idea, it's whether or not we know how to implement it.
mandatory adjective		required	It is mandatory that all supervisors attend Friday's meeting.
minutes noun		a written record of everything said at a meeting	Before we begin with today's meeting, let's quickly review the minutes from last month.
motion noun		a suggestion put to a vote	The motion to extend store hours has been passed.
objectives noun		goals to accomplish	I'm pleased that we were able to cover all of the objectives today within the designated time.
opening remarks noun		chairperson or leader's first words at a meeting (i.e. welcome, introductions)	As I mentioned in my opening remarks, we have to clear this room before the end of the hour.
overhead projector noun		machine with a special light that projects a document onto a screen or wall so that all can see	I'm going to put a pie chart on the overhead projector so that everyone can visualize how our profits have declined.
participant noun		person who attends and joins in on an event	Can I have a show of hands of all of those who were participants in last year's conference?
proxy vote noun		a vote cast by one person for or in place of another	There must have been one proxy vote because I count twelve ballots but only eleven attendees.
punctual adjective		on time (not late)	Firstly, I want to thank you all for being punctual despite this early meeting.
recommend verb		suggest	I recommend that you sit closer to the front if you have trouble hearing.
show of hands noun		raised hands to express an opinion in a vote	From the show of hands it appears that everyone is in favour of taking a short break.
strategy noun		plan to make something work	We need to come up with a strategy that will allow us to have meetings less frequently.
unanimous adj		in complete agreement; united in opinion	The vote was unanimous to cut work hours on Fridays.
vote verb or noun		to express (the expression of) an opinion in a group by voice or hand etc	We need to vote for a new vice chairperson now that Jerry is retiring.
wrap up verb		finish	Let's wrap up here so that we can get back to our desks.

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