Unit 4

Word

Definition

Example

bring about

to make something happen

We hope to bring about real improvements for everyone

bring down

to reduce something to a lower level

We need to do something to bring down the costs

carry out

to do something that needs to be organized and planned

We give back to the communities where we carry out our operations

come up with

to think of an idea, answer etc

Greenlight Planet came up with the idea of affordable lighting

commercially-viable proposition

business, product, and service which has the ability to compete effectively with it's competitors and to make profit

It has to be a commercially-viable proposition

concept

an idea of how something is, or how something should be done

Well, it's a pretty simple concept

cutting-edge technology

technological devices, techniques or achievements that employ the most current and high-level IT developments

Their projects don't require cutting-edge technology

database

a large amount of data stored in a computer system so that you can find and use it easily

The system scans your iris and matches it to a central database

demonstrate

to show or prove something clearly

I'd like to demonstrate how effective this type of brainstorming is

emerge

to appear or come out from somewhere

For new ideas to emerge, you need people who respond positively

far-reaching

having a great influence or effect

This decision will have far-reaching consequences for the rest of the company

generate

to produce or cause something

In this way, you can generate plenty of new ideas very quickly

get round something

to avoid something that is difficult or causes problems for you

They had to get round the problem of having no access to electricity

illustrate

to make the meaning of something clearer by giving examples

These comments illustrate the difficulties customers are experiencing

in comparison to

the process of comparing two or more people or things

DiScan2 is extremely secure in comparison to other systems

innovative approach

an innovative way of doing something is new, different, and better than those that existed before

They have taken an innovative approach to selling the lamp

key concept

main idea of how something is, or how something should be done

This is a key concept behind every new project

look at

to turn your eyes towards something, so that you can see it

OK, let's look at what DiScan2 has to offer

major breakthrough

an important new discovery in something you are studying, especially one made after trying for a long time

They hope to make a major breakthrough in meeting energy needs

overview

a short description of a subject or situation that gives the main ideas without explaining all the details

First, I'll give you a brief overview of the process

pay off

to give someone all the money you owe them

Local communities pay off the cost in monthly instalments

potential benefit

existing in possibility

They highlight the potential benefit of sustainable energy projects

practical solution

a solution to a problem or difficult situation is a way of dealing with it so that the situation is resolved in the simpliest way

They have come up with a practical solution to the problem

prove

to show that something is true by providing facts, information etc

The study proves that we have improved reliability and reduced costs

radical

a radical change or difference is very big and important

Although it may sound radical, it's up to you how far-reaching you want it to be

recognition

the act of realizing and accepting that something is true or important

Iris recognition is part of the next generation in security

retinal scan

computer equipment that is used to examine someone's retina in order to identify them

For a retinal scan, you need to put your eye very close to the camera

risk-taker

people who do things that involve risks in order to achieve something

Many business people are by nature careful and not big risk-takers

scan

to examine an area carefully but quickly, often because you are looking for a particular person or thing

When you look at a camera, the system scans your iris

seek

to try to achieve or get something

PharmaLab is a medical research company seeking to increase security in its research centre

set up

to start a company, organization, committee etc

We set up a pilot project so we were able to test the system

show

to let someone see something

This graph shows the trend clearly

state-of-the-art

using the most modern and recently developed methods, materials, or knowledge

DiScan2 is a state-of-the-art security system

suggest

to tell someone your ideas about what they should do, where they should go etc

Can you suggest what kind of tool I should use?

take forward

take responsibility for dealing with a task or developing a project

The charity enables winners to take their work forward

take up

to become interested in a new activity and to spend time doing it

I'd like you to take up the challenge of improving our productivity

whereas

used to say that although something is true of one thing, it is not true of another

You can use someone else's code, whereas you can't copy their iris