Appendix 4: Glossary

Word Form Meaning
accountable adjective required to be responsible for something
achievable adjective capable of being done or completed
action plan noun a document that lists the steps required to achieve a goal
adapt verb to change or adjust to a different situation
address verb to deal with a matter, issue, or problem
adequate adjective enough; sufficient
all of a sudden expression without warning; unexpectedly
alternative adjective another possibility available as a choice
an accident waiting to happen expression something that could possibly cause a problem if it is not fixed
apologize verb to say that you are sorry
appropriate adjective right or suited for some purpose or situation
assure verb to tell someone that something will happen or that something is true
attitude noun a feeling or way of thinking that affects a person’s behavior
beyond your control expression outside the limits of what you can do
bonus noun an amount of money added to wages or salary, especially as a reward for good performance
brief adjective not very long; short and concise
button noun a small part of a machine that you push to make the machine work
can-do attitude noun a positive way of looking at challenges and overcoming them
carpool verb to regularly share a car with a group of people when they are going to and from their jobs
caution noun care taken to avoid danger or risk
certificate noun an official document that verifies, or gives evidence of, something
challenges noun difficult tasks or problems
chat verb to talk informally with someone
clearance noun the clear space between two objects to allow for something to move past or under
commitment noun the attitude of someone who works very hard to do or support something
compensation noun something that is given to make up for damage or trouble
complaints noun statements that you are unhappy or unsatisfied about something
concerns noun worries or anxiety about something
concrete adjective relating to specific things or actions and not general ideas or qualities
condition noun the state of something
conduct verb to plan, organize, and carry out an activity
confirm verb to make sure that something is correct
conform verb to obey or agree with something
constantly adverb all the time; very often
core adjective the most important or basic part of something
creatures of habit expression people who do things the same way all the time or whose routine never varies
criteria noun standards by which something is judged
critical adjective expressing criticism or disapproval
deadline noun a date or time by which a task must be finished
demonstrate verb to show (a quality or feeling) clearly to other people
deserve verb to be entitled to; to have the right to
diversity noun the state of having people who are of different races or who have different cultures in a group or organization
document verb noun to create a record of something through writing

an official paper that gives information about something

earn a raise expression get an increase in salary
effective adjective successful; giving a positive result
emergency contacts noun information, such as a telephone number, that is used to reach someone when an unexpected and dangerous situation takes place
empower verb to give power to (someone)
encourage verb to tell or advise someone to do something
environment noun the physical surroundings or conditions in which a person lives or works
equal adjective the same in quantity or value
equipment noun something used for a specific purpose
evacuation noun removal of people from a place of danger
exercise verb to use or apply
face-to-face expression (adjective) physically in the presence of the person or people involved
feedback noun helpful information that is given to someone about a product or performance
fire warden noun a person responsible for evacuating people from a building in case of fire
flexible adjective able to change or do things differently
follow verb to go after a person; to travel behind
follow up verb to take appropriate action about something
foremost in mind expression most important to consider, or think about
foundation noun a base or support on which something stands
frustrated adjective feeling annoyed or disappointed about something
gaps noun spaces where something is missing
get in touch with expression to contact; to communicate with
gift certificate noun a piece of paper that is worth an amount of money and is given to someone to pay for a product or service
good fit for expression well suited for something (e.g. a job)
handle verb to manage a situation or problem
hard skills noun specific, teachable abilities that can be defined and measured
hassle noun something that is annoying or causes trouble
hostility noun an unfriendly attitude
identifier noun a person or thing that identifies someone or something
identify verb to know and say what something is or who someone is
impact verb to have a strong effect on something
incident report noun a written document about something that happened, usually created for legal purposes
increment noun an increase in wages or salary
individuality noun the quality that makes one person different from others
inevitable adjective sure to happen
influence verb

noun

to change or affect someone or something; to cause changes without directly forcing them to happen

the power to change or affect someone or something; the power to cause changes without directly forcing them to happen

injured adjective harmed or hurt
input noun a contribution of information
introduce verb to present (something) for discussion or consideration
investigate verb to make an official inquiry into an incident
journal noun a daily personal record of events
keep up verb to go or make progress at the same rate as others
kick off verb to begin something
kiosk noun a small booth or stand where things are sold in a shopping area
lined up verb got ready or organized
loading docks noun places for loading or unloading goods
log noun verb a book or online document in which something is recorded to make an official record of something
maintain verb to continue doing something
maintenance noun the department in a company responsible for looking after the building
manuals noun handbooks of instructions
measurable adjective able to be measured
mentor noun someone who can advise or guide
minimize verb to reduce
mission statement noun something that states the purpose or goal of a business or organization
monitor verb

 

noun

to observe or check the quality of something; to watch, observe, listen to, or check (something) for a special purpose over a period of time

a device for checking something

motivate verb to give someone a reason for doing something; inspire someone
nominate verb to officially suggest someone for a job, recognition, or award
on the go expression active or busy
onboarding noun a process of helping new employees understand the expectations of the employer
ongoing adjective continuing to exist, happen, or progress
online adjective connected to a computer and the Internet
open posture expression standing or sitting in an open, friendly way without crossing your arms
opportunties noun circumstances that make it possible to do something; chances
optimistically adverb to do something in a positive way with hope for the future
outstanding adjective excellent; better than others
patronage noun regular business given by a person or company
patrons noun regular customers
performance review noun a method of documenting and evaluating how well an individual does at his/her job
periodic adjective occuring at regular intervals
personal management noun the way you conduct yourself, set goals, and work toward them
personnel noun people employed in a company or organization
perspective noun a way of thinking about and understanding something
policy noun a plan of action chosen by a business
position noun the rank or role of someone or something in an organization
potential adjective noun having the chance or possibility that something will happen or exist in the future a quality that can be developed or made better
press verb to push (something, such as a button or lever on a machine) with your finger or hand
probation noun a period of time during which a new employee is evaluated to decide whether he/she can do the job well enough
procedure noun a series of actions that are done in a certain way or order; an established or accepted way of doing something
process verb to deal officially with a document or request
promote verb to make people aware of (something, such as a new product) through advertising; to make (something) more popular, well-known
promotion noun a move to a higher or more important position in an organization
protect verb to keep a person or thing safe from harm or danger
protective adjective protecting or keeping safe from harm or injury
raise noun an increase in salary
reassure verb to say or do something to make somebody feel better
recap verb to restate; to go over again
rectify verb to make something right or correct
refer verb to pass a matter to someone in authority
register verb to enter or record in an official document
regret noun feeling of sadness or disappointment
regretful adjective feeling or showing sadness or disappointment
release verb to stop holding (someone or something)
relevant adjective relating to a subject or topic in an appropriate way
reliable adjective dependable; consistently good in performance
remotely adverb from a distance
renovations noun repairs or improvements to a building
report verb to tell someone in authority about a problem; to make an official or formal statement about something
resurface verb to put a new surface on something; for example, a road or street
reviews verb examines or looks at something carefully to make a decision
rewarding adjective giving you a good feeling that you have done something valuable or important
right noun a legal entitlement to something
rough adjective difficult or unpleasant to deal with
safety cone noun an orange, pointed, rubber cone put on the ground to warn people about dangerous conditions
schedule verb to arrange for a certain time
secure adjective safe and unharmed
secured adjective protected
see red expression to get angry suddenly
self-assess verb to evaluate or judge your own performance and progress
self-conscious adjective uncomfortably nervous or embarrassed about what other people think of you
sensor noun a device that detects something
service elevators noun elevators designed for carrying goods; also known as freight elevators
shifts noun the scheduled period of time during which a person works
sincere adjective showing true feelings that are expressed in an honest way
soft skills noun people’s abilities to interact effectively with each other
solution-oriented adjective to be focused on resolutions to challenges
specific adjective clearly and exactly presented
stock up on expression build a supply of something
stressful adjective making you feel worried or anxious
strict adjective demanding that people obey rules or behave in a certain way
submitted verb presented something (for example, a document) for approval
summarize verb to repeat information using a minimum of words
supervise verb to oversee the completion of a task or activity
supervisor noun a person who oversees the work of other people
sustainability noun the ability to use without completely depleting or destroying natural resources
sympathizing verb feeling sorry for someone who is in a bad situation
tenants noun people who rent a space for a period of time
tile noun a square, flat piece of solid material used to cover surfaces such as floors
time frame noun a period of time during which an action or a project is planned or takes place
tool noun something that is used to do a job or activity
traits noun qualities that make one person or thing different from another
two-way radio noun an apparatus that can send and receive sound messages
unattended adjective not looked after; not supervised
upgrade noun replace one thing with another that is better or newer
valued adjective considered to be important
values noun strongly held beliefs about what is valuable, important or acceptable – usually plural
volunteer noun a person who offers to do a task or activity without payment
woes noun feelings of pain or sadness
work conditions noun the conditions under which an employee works; conditions may include number of hours of work, break periods, physical conditions of the work, etc.

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In the Workplace: An Intermediate Integrated Skills Textbook Copyright © 2016 by Bow Valley College is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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