Workplace behaviour – English vocabulary
33 words · English vocabulary · Created by OpenQuiz Team
33 English words with meanings: hand in glove with, hierarchical, hot-desking, interfere, intervene… Study them with flashcards, quizzes and AI speaking…
Part of the learning path: Vocabulary in Daily Life - Advance
Word list
- hand in glove with /hænd ɪn ɡlʌv wɪð/ (phrase) — working very closely together
Example:The two companies worked hand in glove with each other.
Synonyms: closely with, in close cooperation with, in partnership with - hierarchical /,haɪə'rɑ:rkɪkəl/ (adjective) — arranged in levels, with higher and lower ranks
Example:The company has a hierarchical structure.
Synonyms: ranked, layered, pyramidal - hot-desking /'hɑ:t dɛskɪŋ/ (noun) — a work system where people use any available desk instead of one fixed desk
Example:Hot-desking lets employees choose any free desk.
Synonyms: shared desks, flexible seating, desk sharing - interfere /,ɪntə'fɪə/ (verb) — to get in the way of something and make it harder
Example:Loud music can interfere with your sleep.
Synonyms: hinder, obstruct, disturb - intervene /,ɪntə'vi:n/ (verb) — to step in to help or stop a problem
Example:The teacher intervened to stop the fight.
Synonyms: step in, intercede, meddle - keep on a tight rein /ki:p ɑ:n ə taɪt reɪn/ (phrase) — to control someone very strictly
Example:The manager kept him on a tight rein.
Synonyms: control strictly, keep under control, watch closely - knock off /nɑ:k ɔ:f/ (phrase) — to stop working for the day or finish a task
Example:Let's knock off early today.
Synonyms: stop work, finish up, wrap up - lay down the law /leɪ daʊn ðə lɔ:/ (idiom) — to speak or act in a very strict, commanding way
Example:The manager laid down the law to the team.
Synonyms: be strict, give orders - lay off /leɪ ɔf/ (phrase) — to stop doing something or reduce pressure on someone
Example:The coach told him to lay off for a week.
Synonyms: stop, back off, ease up - lead a team /li:d ə ti:m/ (phrase) — to be in charge of a group of workers
Example:She will lead a team of five designers.
Synonyms: manage a team, head a team, supervise a team - leadership qualities /'li:dərʃɪp 'kwɑ:lətiz/ (phrase) — personal qualities that help someone guide others well
Example:He has strong leadership qualities.
Synonyms: leadership skills, guiding abilities, management qualities - leaving do /'li:vɪŋ du:/ (phrase) — a party for someone who is leaving a job or place
Example:They gave her a leaving do on Friday.
Synonyms: farewell party, send-off - lick someone’s boots /lɪk 'sʌmwʌnz bu:ts/ (idiom) — to act in a servile way to please someone important
Example:He would lick his boss’s boots to get ahead.
Synonyms: flatter, curry favor, fawn over - make up to /meɪk ʌp tu:/ (phrase) — to try hard to win someone's favor by being nice
Example:She tried to make up to the manager after the mistake.
Synonyms: curry favor with, flatter, fawn on - manners /'mænərz/ (noun) — polite behavior and good habits in social situations
Example:Good manners matter at the table.
Synonyms: politeness, courtesy, etiquette - misbehave /,mɪsbɪ'heɪv/ (verb) — to behave badly or break rules
Example:The children misbehave when they are tired.
Synonyms: act badly, be naughty, cause trouble - obliging /ə'blaɪdʒɪŋ/ (adjective) — willing to help and please other people
Example:The staff were obliging and answered all our questions.
Synonyms: helpful, accommodating, willing - obsequious /əb'si:kwiəs/ (adjective) — too eager to please and obey someone important
Example:His obsequious tone annoyed everyone in the room.
Synonyms: servile, submissive, fawning - officious /ə'fɪʃəs/ (adjective) — too eager to give orders or advice nobody wants
Example:The officious clerk kept giving everyone unnecessary advice.
Synonyms: meddlesome, overhelpful, interfering - pushy /'pʊʃi/ (adjective) — trying too hard to make others do what you want
Example:The salesman was too pushy for me.
Synonyms: aggressive, overbearing, insistent - put someone in a straitjacket /pʊt 'sʌmwʌn ɪn ə 'streɪtdʒækɪt/ (phrase) — to control someone so strictly that they cannot act freely
Example:The rules put him in a straitjacket.
Synonyms: restrict, control tightly, constrain - respectful /rɪ'spɛktfəl/ (adjective) — showing care and politeness toward others
Example:He was respectful to his teacher.
Synonyms: polite, courteous, considerate - responsive /rɪ'spɑ:nsɪv/ (adjective) — quick to answer and help
Example:Their support team is very responsive.
Synonyms: attentive, quick to reply, helpful - servile /'sɜ:rvaɪl/ (adjective) — too ready to obey and please others in a weak way
Example:The servant's servile attitude made him seem weak.
Synonyms: submissive, obsequious, fawning - sloppy /'slɑ:pi/ (adjective) — done carelessly and without enough attention
Example:The report was sloppy and full of errors.
Synonyms: careless, messy, slipshod - smarmy /'smɑ:rmi/ (adjective) — too eager to please in a fake and annoying way
Example:His smarmy smile made everyone uncomfortable.
Synonyms: oily, sycophantic, fawning - stand on ceremony /stænd ɒn 'sɛrəmoʊni/ (phrase) — to behave in a very formal and careful way
Example:They do not stand on ceremony at home.
Synonyms: be formal, be stiff, follow protocol - suck up to /sʌk ʌp tu:/ (phrase) — to try to win favor by being overly nice
Example:He tried to suck up to the boss.
Synonyms: flatter, brown-nose, butter up - supportive /sə'pɔ:rtɪv/ (adjective) — Giving help, approval, or encouragement.
Example:My boss was very supportive during the project.
Synonyms: helpful, encouraging, understanding - the done thing /ðə dʌn θɪŋ/ (phrase) — the socially accepted way to behave in a situation
Example:It is the done thing to bring a gift.
Synonyms: proper behavior, social norm, accepted practice
…and 3 more words in this set.
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