B

BABY BELLS. Nickname for the seven regional telephone companies created with the breakup of AT&T (MA BELL) in 1984.

BABY BOOMERS. The first generation of people born in the  United States after World War II (1945–1964).

“The withdrawal of HH issues will create planning problems for many EE and E bondholders, especially as more baby boomers with these bonds start to retire, said Daniel Pederson, author of "Savings Bonds: When to Hold, When to Fold & Everything In-Between."  (Wall Street Journal,  July 29, 2004, p. D2)

BABY-BUST GENERATION. The low-birth-rate generation after BABY BOOMERS.

“Little wonder a lot of people shuddered at a widely quoted 1989 study, by Harvard's Gregory Mankiw and David Weil, that suggested real, or inflation-adjusted, home prices would fall 3% annually in the 20 years to 2007 as the baby-boomer demand crests and the smaller baby-bust generation comes to dominate the market.” (Wall Street Journal, Nov. 29, 1999, p. 22)

BACK (TO). Support financially.

BACK AGAINST THE WALL. No place to go; a difficult situation.

“With his party's back against the wall, Liberal cabinet minister Pierre Pettigrew plays the ethnic card in Quebec, saying the Bloc Quebecois considers ‘others’ a threat to their identity. Gilles Duceppe counters that his party is inclusive, but sounds a strident separatist message.” (Macleans, June 7, 2004, p. 23)

 

BACKBONE. Courage; in computing, the central parts of an electronic communication network.

BACK BURNER (ON THE). Kept in reserve; delay, hold back.

BACK-DOOR. Of questionable ethics; dishonest; A security vulnerability installed by a virus or Trojan that gives an attacker easier access to the computer system, often bypassing the installed security systems.

“Bush left for Europe and meets with an antiwar Pope John Paul II today. Berlusconi appealed for Iraq protesters to stay peaceful. Kerry accused the president of instituting a ‘backdoor draft’ by forcing troops to stay on duty longer than their enlistment.” (Wall Street Journal, June 4, 2004, p. A1)

 

BACKFIRE (TO). Produce results opposite of those expected.

 

“Most people tend to underestimate others' willingness to be generous in the workplace, so people are often reluctant to ask for assistance, Mr. Flynn adds. And spending too much time helping others can backfire by cutting into one's own productivity or hurting relationships.” (Wall Street Journal, August 31, 2004, p. B6)

BACKFIRED. A plan that did not work and hurt the originator.

BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN. In control again.

BACKLASH. A negative reaction.

 

“Carriers who fail to invest in the proper network technology will face a customer backlash in today’s competitive environment.” (America’s Network, Feb. 1, 1996, p. 2)

 

BACK OFF (TO). Slow down; moderate.

 

“The Irish rock star's advocacy group runs radio ads in Rep. [A Nussle]'s Iowa district to protest his fiscal 2005 budget's cuts in global aid and AIDS relief. Bono aides call the ads a warning to White House and Congress not to back off [Bush]'s promised increases.” (Wall Street Journal, April 30, 2004, p. A4)

BACK OUT OF (TO). Cancel a deal previously agreed upon.

BACK TAXES.  Taxes that are owed or overdue.

 

BACKYARD BARBEQUE THEORY.  Monetary policy theory where additions to the money supply become “fuel” which suddenly flares up, over stimulating the economy.

BAD BLOOD.  Distrust or ill will between two people or groups based on past experiences.

BAD DEAL. Poor business transaction.

 

BAD EGG.   A trouble-maker.

 

BAD-MOUTH (TO). Be critical of someone who is not present.

 

“It is not simply Mr. Clinton's China policy that has him in hot water. It is the way it illuminates his very idea of policy. Whether as a handy foil to berate Mr. Bush for insensitivity to human rights, a convenient source of campaign cash or, now, a vehicle to bad-mouth the Reagan and Bush administrations, the Clinton China policy from the first has been subsumed into the permanent campaign.” (Wall Street Journal, March 17, 1999, p. 1)

BAD PAPER. Worthless money or checks.

BAG OF SNAKES. A business situation or segment which has been full of unfavorable surprises.

 

BAIL OUT (TO). Sell an investment without regard to the price.

 

“Under the plan, expected to be announced next week, China Huarong will bring in outside auditors to help sort out D'Long's web of investments and debt, the central banker said. He said authorities haven't decided how to reorganize the company and haven't earmarked any specific amount of loans to bail out the group. ‘No one has a clear idea about how many assets D'Long still possesses and how much money is needed to restructure the company,’ the central banker said.” (Wall Street Journal, August 26, 2004, p. A11)

 

BAILOUT. Financial support or rescue.

 

“Daiei Inc. will present its latest revival plan to its main lenders later this week, in what might lead to the third major bailout in less than four years for the debt-burdened retailer.” (Wall Street Journal, August 25, 2004, p. 1)

 

BAIT-AND-SWITCH. An unethical sales technique wherein low-priced goods are advertised but not available when customers come to the store. On the Internet, bait-and-switch techniques involve the use of commonly used keywords such as free, sale, or sex in order to get search engines to list a site and trick viewers into purchases of the sites offerings. 

 

“Sen. Rick Santorum (R., Pa.), a leading critic, joked darkly of becoming ‘roadkill’ in the bill's path. But fellow Republicans accused a "suddenly righteous" White House of using ‘bait and switch’ tactics to make Mr. [Bush] look tough at their expense.” (Wall Street Journal, Feb. 13, 2004, p. A2)

BAKER’S DOZEN. Thirteen instead of twelve.

BALDRIDGE AWARD. 1988 federal government–sponsored award to companies which excel at improving the quality of their products; named after former Secretary of Commerce Malcolm Baldridge. Corporations sometimes promote the fact that they have won a Baldridge Award in their marketing efforts.

BALL OF FIRE. Highly energetic.

 

BALLOON NOTE/PAYMENT. A loan with a large final payment.  Some mortgage loans are made one 15 or 30 year payment basis, but come due in a shorter period with a large single payment.

BALL-PARK ESTIMATE/FIGURE. A quickly calculated estimate of costs.

 

“I do think members of the administration have willfully deceived the public and Congress about the costs of the Iraqi war and its aftermath. And they continue to do so. Just last week, the administration's new budget director, Joshua Bolten, refused to give Congress even a ballpark estimate of costs for fiscal-year 2004 -- which begins in less than two months. ‘Why?’ asked Democratic Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware. ‘Simply because we don't know what they will be,’ Mr. Bolten said. ‘Oh, come on now!’ Sen. Biden replied.” (Wall Street Journal, August 5, 2003, p. A4)

BALLS. Nerve, courage.

BALONEY. Nonsense; boastful language.

 

BANG FOR THE BUCK. The most impact or results for one’s money.

 

“‘With a better tone to the overall market, the feeling was the correction had run its course,’ said Michael Metz, chief investment strategist at Oppenheimer & Co., ‘and you'd get your biggest bang for the buck by going into small stocks, which still haven't given up their leadership.’" (Wall Street Journal, Nov. 13, 2003, p. C10)

BANG-UP JOB. Very good luck.

BANKER’S ACCEPTANCE.  A short-term credit instrument commonly used in international transactions.  A bank guarantees the future payment for a international sale, creating a security sold at a discount against the value of the future payment.

BANKROLL (TO). Finance a business deal; a sum of money.

 

“Now, however, a couple of trends seem to be converging, analysts say, that appear to be cutting away at the ‘barbell strategy’ Wall Street has hoped computer makers would pull off.”  (Wall Street Journal, March 2, 1999, p. C1)

 

BANK RUN.  See RUN.

 

BANNER.  A small ad appearing on a Web page.

 

BANNER YEAR. Best year ever.

“Stuart Miller, Lennar's president and chief executive, said strong demand and constraints to supply, along with favorable interest rates, were setting up a banner year for Lennar and other home builders. The company increased its earnings forecast for the year to $5.30 a share from $5.25 a share.”  (Wall Street Journal, March 17, 2004, p. 1)

BAR CODE. Computerized electronic-scanning label on products.

BARE-BONE. Lean; without any extras.

 

“Cut to the bare-bone in the late 1980s and the early 1990s, corporate/institutional advertising programs that promote the name, image and reputation of the company rather than specific products or services, are undergoing a fundamental rethinking that appears to be positioning the programs for a strong rebound.” (Business Marketing, Aug. 1994, p. 20)

 

BARGAIN-BASEMENT. Cheap, inexpensive. Macy’s department store in New York City was famous for bargains that could be found in its basement store area.

 

“But unlike Wal-Mart, Carrefour didn't build its reputation in its home market as the retailer that offered the lowest prices, analysts say. Rather, Carrefour's claim to fame for years was a massive array of quality goods in one place -- at reasonable, rather than bargain-basement prices.” (Wall Street Journal, Feb. 26, 2004, p. B2)

 

BARGAINING CHIP. Something else that can be offered in business negotiations.  For example, after negotiations stalled, a seller could offer owner financing to entice the buyer to make the purchase.

 

“Four U.S. oil companies -- Marathon Oil Co. and ConocoPhillips of Houston, Amerada Hess Corp. of New York and Occidental Petroleum Co. of Los Angeles -- greeted yesterday's statement with enthusiasm. All have been chafing to return to Libya since they were forced to abandon lucrative operations when sanctions were imposed in 1986. Libya has held the U.S. assets in trust the past 18 years as a bargaining chip in its efforts to get sanctions lifted.” (Wall Street Journal, Feb. 27, 2004, p. A7)

BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE. Asking or speaking with the wrong person or with someone who has already made his or her decision.

BARNBURNER. Exciting contest.

BAROMETER STOCK. A stock whose price movements are representative of general market conditions.

BASELINE. Parameter against which a project can be evaluated.

 

BASH. Big party. See also SHINDIG.

 

“At the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta, Mattress Mac, a.k.a. Jim McIngvale, lobbied IOC members in his hospitality suite. The flamboyant Houston furniture-store owner invited the IOC members to a big bash attended by Carl Lewis and other well-known athletes” (Wall Street Journal, Feb. 26, 1999, p. B1)

 

BASIS.  The cost of an investment.  The basis includes the price paid plus any expenses associated with the purchase and is used to determine capital gains or losses.

BASIS POINTS. Fractions of 1 percent. One hundred basis points equals 1 percent.

 

BASKET CASE. A hopeless situation/person.

 

“Thus Mr. Paternot describes [Ace Greenberg] performing card tricks for his new prize Bear Stearns client on the day of Wall Street's hottest IPO ever. Elsewhere he refers to a prominent internet CEO as an emotional basket case.” (Wall Street Journal, August 27, 2001, p. A13)

BAT A THOUSAND (TO). Be successful every time; in baseball to bat a thousand means to get a hit every time at bat.

BATH (TO TAKE A). Lose a lot of money.

 

BATTING AVERAGE. Percentage of the time one is successful (baseball).

 

“What if a ballplayer's strikeouts didn't count against his batting average? Well, that's pretty much what's happening with many stock mutual funds.” (Wall Street Journal, August 1, 2004, p. 1)

 

BEAMER, BEEMER.  A BMW car; an IBM employee.

BEAN COUNTER. A low-level clerk; negative reference to an accountant.

“The 2002 farm bill opened the CSP to all eligible farms, just as programs like Medicare are open to all eligible. ‘If implemented as originally envisioned . . . the CSP could cost as much to operate in any given year as do traditional farm programs now,’ Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service economist Katherine R. Smith (speaking for herself, not the agency) told a conference last month. Bean counters initially put the price tag at $2 billion over 10 years, then upped it to $7 billion.” (Wall Street Journal, July 22, 2004, p. A2)

BEAN TOWN. Boston, Massachusetts.

 

BEAR. Investor who thinks the stock market will decline.

 

“Furniture makers are moving production overseas as quickly as they can, but it is unlikely they can close the pricing gap. Labor costs are such a large part of the business. Exacerbating the situation, furniture makers have been neglecting information technology investment, bears argue.” (Wall Street Journal, Oct. 22, 2003, p. C1)

 

BEAR HUG. The rescue of a company from a hostile takeover by a WHITE KNIGHT.

 

“By Friday afternoon, rumors were swirling in Las Vegas that a deal was in the making, says Joe Greff, an analyst with Fulcrumb Global Partners LLC, who was in Las Vegas then. MGM Mirage's Mr. [Terry Lanni] sent Mandalay a so-called bear hug letter -- an unsolicited offer proposing terms for a sale -- and the companies put out terse press releases." (Wall Street Journal, June 7, 2004, p. B1)

BEAT A DEAD HORSE. Continue to argue/discuss an issue after recognizing that it cannot be resolved.

BEAT AROUND THE BUSH. Avoid getting to the point.

BEATS ME! I do not know.

 

BEAT THE BUSHES (TO). Search everywhere; aggressively market even in rural or unlikely places.

 

“How to Sell How-To Books -- Market Them as Instruction For Idiots and Dummies; Beat the Bushes for Topics” (Wall Street Journal, March 14, 2001, p. B1)

BEEF UP. Expand, make stronger.

“GM Chief Financial Officer John Devine, speaking at an industry conference in Traverse City, Mich., said the test is more extreme than the tests GM uses. GM recalled the Saturn vehicles voluntarily to ‘beef up their suspensions,’ he said. ‘We are moving aggressively,’ Mr. Devine said.”  (Wall Street Journal, Aug. 6, 2004, p. A3)

BEHIND THE EIGHT-BALL. Under pressure (billiards).

 

“Let’s make this simple. Aside from scandals, the one remaining domestic issue that packs real political punch this year is patient rights. And patient rights -- particularly the struggle between health-maintenance organizations and those who rely on them for health care -- happens to be the one issue on which Republicans have planted themselves squarely behind the eight ball.” (Wall Street Journal, July. 15, 1998, p. A1)

 

BELL COW. Someone who influences others.  In a dairy herd, the bell cow is the lead cow, the other cows follow.

BELL-RINGER. Exciting, new high; door-to-door salesperson.

BELLS AND WHISTLES. Features, details.

 

“While the firm counts large corporations and law firms among its clients, ‘we find many smaller trials are using technology,’ Mr. [Paul Neale] says. ‘You don't have to have 12 flat screen monitors or all the bells and whistles to use the technology. Some savvy plaintiffs and criminal defense lawyers representing clients in minor cases just use a document camera and a projector." (Wall Street Journal, May. 26, 2004, p. A1)

BELLWETHER INDUSTRY. An industry whose performances serve as a leading indicator for the overall economy.

 

“OPIC has provided financing or insurance for more than $900 million in current foreign direct investment in Venezuela, he said. ‘We are generally a very important catalyst for investment . . . and a bellwether for political risk in a country.’" (Wall Street Journal, July. 15, 2004, p. A9)

 

BELLY UP (TO GO). Bankrupt.

 

“They're limited partnerships and other direct-participation programs are again. Before you buy, here's what you need to know.  Sold mainly by financial planners. Minimum investments can be as low as $1,000 in an IRA  Easy to buy into but can be tough to exit, making them suitable only for investors who can stomach illiquidity. Many limited partnerships went belly-up in the '70s and '80s.” (Wall Street Journal, April. 7, 2004, p. D1)

 

BELOW BOOK. Less than list price; less than the value of a company’s assets.

 

“CNA, a property and casualty insurer, could be reviving from a few years of poor financial performance. Last week, its shares rose by more than two points, to $28, on news of solid fourth-quarter profit, but it still trades below book value of $33 a share. Haggar, a maker of men's pants, has been near $20, below book value of $24.” (Wall Street Journal, Feb. 15, 2004, p. 4)

BELOW PAR.  Less than face value.  Bonds selling at less than maturity value (usually $1000) are selling below par.

BELOW THE BELT. Nasty; unfair. In boxing, a punch below the belt is illegal and can lead to disqualification.

BELT-TIGHTENING. Cost-cutting. See also DOWNSIZING.

“Dow Chemical said a 12% increase in sales prices and an 8% increase in volume helped make up for a 15% rise in costs for the natural gas and crude oil used to produce plastics and chemicals. As part of its belt-tightening program, Dow Chemical slashed some administrative and other expenses in the latest quarter by 14% from a year earlier.” (Wall Street Journal, Jan. 20, 2004, p. A1)

BELTWAY BANDITS. Consultants working in the Washington, DC area, technically with offices inside the Beltway (Interstate 495 and a section of I-95).

BENCH STRENGTH. Other personnel available to assist or take over from current leaders (baseball).

“Other CEOs who are shopping for COOs -- often at the behest of boards concerned about building bench strength for succession choices -- are having more difficulty than they expected.” (Wall Street Journal, May 11, 2004, p. B1)

BENCH WARMER. A person who is not among the top performers (baseball).

 

BEN FRANKLINS.  One-hundred-dollar bills, which contain the face of Benjamin Franklin.

 

BENT HIS/HER PICK.  Made a mistake.

BETA FACTOR/COEFFICIENT. Stock market measure of price variability. A statistical measure of the relative risk of a common stock compared with the market for all stocks.

“A similar concern is a fund's expenses. The higher they are, the higher the annual fees you will pay. Past performance is another key issue. You should also consider a fund's beta factor. Beta measures a fund's volatility relative to the overall market.” (Medical Economics, April 11, 2003, p. 59)

BET THE FARM/RANCH (TO). Risk everything.

“It's hard to find anyone opposed to the idea of replacing factories of failure like Bushwick High. But activists who favor school ‘accountability’ through testing and tougher academic standards warn that New York's approach could be a distraction. ‘I wouldn't bet the farm on small schools,’ says Michael Cohen, president of Achieve Inc., an advocacy group backed by corporations and state governors concerned that U.S. students aren't learning the skills they'll need in college and the workplace.” (Wall Street Journal, Sept. 4, 2003, p. B1)

BETTING ON THE OUTCOME. Not knowing the end result but wagering on what one believes it will be.

BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE. A difficult situation.

“Now a proposed biotech research park threatens to drive a wedge between Dr. Becker and some community leaders, including the Rev. Tuggle. Hopkins officials support the idea of creating a 22-acre research park in East Baltimore; the Rev. Tuggle opposes it. Community activists are against the park, proposed for a site north of the Hopkins campus, because many residents have been evicted and others must move to make way for it. Such disputes ‘put me in between a rock and a hard place,’ says Dr. Becker. ‘It's very hard being the person who worked on pulling all this together with the pastors.’" (Wall Street Journal, August 9, 2004, p. B1)

BETWEEN JOBS (TO BE). Unemployed.

BIBLE BELT. People of conservative, religious-oriented values. Geographically, the area bounded by Virginia, Florida, and Texas is generally considered the Bible Belt in the United States.

“Stumping on behalf of his tax hike, Mr. [Bob Riley], a Southern Baptist, has tried to appeal to the spiritual side of voters in his Bible Belt state. ‘According to our Christian ethics,’ he's fond of saying, ‘we're supposed to love God, love each other and help take care of the poor.’" (Wall Street Journal, August 25, 2003, p. A10)

BIG APPLE. New York City.

BIG BITE. Large amount.

“Sony's operating income -- revenue minus the cost of sales as well as administrative and advertising expenses -- fell 41%, as a strengthening yen against the dollar and restructuring charges took a big bite out of profit.” (Wall Street Journal, July 29, 2004, p. B4)

BIG BLUE. International Business Machines, IBM. < xml="true" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" prefix="v" namespace=""> 

“IBM has been a big booster of Linux since 2000, viewing open-source programs as a way for its consultants to sell more of Big Blue's hardware and software programs. The new program for Brazil standardizes the service in what IBM views as a large potential market.” (Wall Street Journal, June 14, 2004, p. B5)

BIG BOARD. New York Stock Exchange.

 

“Selling was broad. Transportation stocks fell on concerns about oil prices and higher fuel costs. AMR, parent of American Airlines, lost 46 cents, or 5.8%, to 7.52, on the New York Stock Exchange. Continental Airlines fell 58 cents, or 6.4%, to 8.52, Delta Air Lines slid 19 cents, or 4.1%, to 4.50; and Alaska Air Group shed 79 cents, or 3.8%, to 19.91, all on the Big Board. Northwest Airlines lost 29 cents, or 3.4%, to 8.32.” (Wall Street Journal,  August 6, 2003, p. C3)

BIG BROTHER. Powerful opposing force, usually the government. The term is derived from George Orwell’s classic book, 1984.

“On June 13, Michel Staszewski, a high-school history teacher who is opposed to electronic voting, paraded along a voting line in a Brussels school. ‘This system is like Big Brother,’ he said. ‘You never find out if your vote is ever counted.’ He handed out pamphlets and requested signatures on a petition. But the citizens he was courting didn't pay much attention.” (Wall Street Journal, July. 28, 2004, p. 1)

BIG BUCKS. Lots of money.

BIG CHEESE. Important person.

BIG D. Dallas, Texas.

BIG ENCHILADA. Significant person.

BIG FISH/CHEESE. Important person or company.  

“They have an unusual status at the agency. Their authority is magnified because the agency's lawyers and accountants ‘won't second- guess them,’ a former SEC official said. They are big fish in a little pond." (Wall Street Journal, March 12, 2004, p. C1)

BIG LEAGUES. Important people; large, dominant organizations (baseball).

“TOM is heading for the main board as early as next month, with three other top-10 GEM-listed companies also preparing to head to the big leagues.” (Wall Street Journal, June 10, 2004, p. C16)

 

BIG PICTURE. The overall view of things.

 

“Generally, though, when wealthy donors budget how much to give to charity, they are ‘not adjusting upward for the fact that they have more assets,’ says Tim D. Stone, NewTithing's executive director. ‘A lot of people, when they think about how much they are donating or want to donate to charity, they aren't really thinking of the big picture of all their wealth,’ adds Claude Rosenberg, a retired money manager who founded and is chairman of NewTithing.” (Wall Street Journal, April. 22,  2004, p. D21)

BIG SIX. Six largest U.S. accounting firms, now down to the BIG FOUR.

 

“Leading accountants Ernst & Young have called for an independent regulator of auditors, breaking rank with the remainder of the Big Six which would rather continue with the existing system of self-regulation.” (Management Today, Aug. 1995, p. 12)

BIG THREE. The three largest U.S. automobile manufacturing firms: Ford, General Motors, and Daimler/Chrysler.

“Reading the News: S&P Downshifts Ford's Debt Rating; Move Reflects Skepticism About a Big 3 Turnaround; Still, Investors Are Relieved” (Wall Street Journal, Nov. 13, 2003, p. A3)

BIG-TICKET ITEMS. High-priced goods.

BIG-TIME SPENDER. Extravagant consumer.

BIG WHEEL/SHOT. Manager; important person; a person who just thinks he or she is important.

BILLED AS. Advertised as.

 

BIMBO. An attractive woman not known for her intellect.

 

“Not merely Monica (Lewinsky). But all the other women who've passed through the Clinton vortex. The Clinton camp itself long ago dubbed these incidents ‘bimbo eruptions,’ suggesting mere dalliances.” (Wall Street Journal, Oct. 26, 1998, p. 1)

 

BINDING ARBITRATION.   A legal dispute resolution mechanism where people who have a conflict present their evidence to an independent authority, the arbitrator (not a judge), and agree in advance to abide by the ruling of the arbitrator.  Many contracts now contain binding arbitration clauses as a means of avoiding the legal costs and lengthy delays associated with litigation.

BINGO CARD. Reader’s enquiry card in a magazine.

 

“A simmering controversy is bubbling to the surface on the roll of bonus leads derived from bingo cards.” (Advertising Age’s Business Marketing, April 1995, p. 1)

BIRD DOG (TO). Track down; stay focused on a project.

 

BIRD DOG FEE.  Payment for information leading to a sale.

 

BIRD DOGS.  Spotters.  People who identify potential customers for salespeople.

 

BIRD IN THE HAND. Accessible or available now.  Short for the old saying, “a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.”

 

“It’s a ‘bird in hand’ strategy that is spreading its wings.” (Wall Street Journal, July 28, 2004, p. C1)

 

BIRDS  (FOR THE). Worthless. 

BIRDYBACK. Transportation system using both airplanes and trucks.

 

BIT BARFING.   The overwhelming of web site visitors with extensive information regardless of whether the information is needed or asked for.

 

BIT BUCKET. A fictional bottomless pit into which vital electronic messages and files fall when something in the system fails.

BITCH SESSION. Meeting where employees express their complaints. Management rarely encourages bitch sessions, but sometimes meetings turn into them.

 

BITE THE BULLET (TO). Go ahead with a difficult task even though it might be expensive.

 

“Technology and media investors have a dearth of companies in their universe growing as rapidly as Google, which doubled its revenue in the past year. Many may elect to bite the bullet and pay the expected high price for Google shares next month.” (Wall Street Journal, July. 29, 2004, p. C1)

BITE THE DUST (TO). Fail; die.

 

“When he scrolled upon breaking news that Tim Koogle will give up his job as Yahoo! Inc. chief executive, Mr. Paternot shot his fists in the air like a sports fan, yelling, Yeah! Another one bites the dust!" (Wall Street Journal, May 2, 2001, p. A1)

BITE YOUR TONGUE (TO). Be quiet, say nothing.

BLACKBALL/BLACKLIST (TO). Refuse to allow someone to work, join, or gain access to a group.

“Russia's mini-crisis was sparked in May when regulators used a new money-laundering law to revoke the license of medium-size Sodbiznesbank. The move sparked panic, as rumors of blacklists swirled and banks stopped lending to each other, provoking a liquidity squeeze.” (Wall Street Journal, July 16, 2004, p. C1)

BLACK BOX. Unknown, complex technology or a situation where decisions are made without full information.

“One reason: The company's AHL division, which uses a ‘black box’ quantitative investment strategy in several different funds, is believed to have about $7.5 billion in assets, though the company doesn't disclose its size.” (Wall Street Journal, March 5, 2004, p. C3)

BLACK HOLE. A project with significant cost overruns (astronomy).

BLACK KNIGHT. Bad guy; initiator of a hostile takeover.

BLACK MARKET. Illegal buying and selling of products. See also PARALLEL ECONOMY.

BLACK MONDAY. October 19, 1987, when the DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE fell 508 points, or over 20 percent.

 

“The Dow Industrials' plunge of 684.81 was their worst-ever point drop, but it ranked only 14th among the average's worst percentage declines, falling well short of its 22.61% plunge on Black Monday, Oct. 19, 1987.” (Wall Street Journal, Sept. 18, 2001, p. A1)

BLACK TUESDAY. The October 29, 1929, stock market crash. The stock market crash symbolized the beginning of the Great Depression, though a downturn in the economy had already started.

 

“Today is the 72nd anniversary of ‘Black Tuesday’ and a perfect time for turning to [Maury Klein]'s ‘Rainbow's End: The Crash of 1929.’ The book is described by its publisher, on the dust jacket, as the product of a "growing attention to the experiences of ordinary people, increasing sensitivity to issues of gender, class and ethnicity, and deep interest in large structures and processes." (Wall Street Journal, Oct. 29, 2001, p. A20)

 

BLAMESTORMING.  Sitting around discussing why a deadline was missed or a project failed and who to blame.  A parody on brainstorming.

BLANK CHECK. Total freedom of action; money provided without restrictions.

“In a second ruling, the Court said that Yaser Esam Hamdi, an American citizen seized by U.S. allies in Afghanistan in 2001, was entitled to ‘a meaningful opportunity to contest the factual basis’ for his incarceration, though it ruled that the president was authorized to seize and hold him and other prisoners under a congressional resolution passed in the wake of Sept. 11. ‘A state of war is not a blank check for the President when it comes to the rights of the nation's citizens,’ Justice Sandra Day O'Connor wrote in the case.”  (Wall Street Journal, June 29, 2004, p. A1)

BLANKET (TO). Cover an area thoroughly and in detail.

“The deal signals an eagerness to blanket the credit- card market, filling consumers' wallets with cards, whether or not they carry the Citigroup name. In turn, Citigroup will then attempt to cross-sell such cardholders other Citigroup products such as mortgages and consumer loans.” (Wall Street Journal, July 16, 2003, p. A13)

BLEED (TO). Extract large amounts of money from someone.

BLINDSIDE (TO). Surprise an opponent.

“Mr. Baucus took pains not to blindside his GOP colleagues, as Democrats complain Republican leaders did to them in the House.” (Wall Street Journal, Oct. 24, 2001, p. A2)

BLIND TRUST. Financial management agreement wherein the trustee has complete control over investment of funds. Politicians in the United States frequently put their assets in a blind trust in order to avoid a conflict of interest when making government policies that affect business.

“Sen. [Bill Frist]'s purportedly blind trust is in fact quite transparent since the documents showing his immediate family's holdings in HCA are publicly available. The disclosure shows investments in the range of $10.1 million to $30.3 million or more.” (Wall Street Journal, April 20, 2004, p. A21)

BLISTER THE COMPETITION. Outsell the other firms in a market.

 

“This is the way we can blister the competition.” (Jami Martin, USC Corp. Nov. 23, 1995)

 

BLOCKBUSTER. A huge success.

 

“Late last month, St. Paul Travelers Cos., the insurer formed in April when Travelers closed its puzzling $17.8 billion deal to buy a shaky St. Paul Cos., announced what Morgan Stanley termed a ‘blockbuster reserve charge’ of $1.625 billion.” (Wall Street Journal, August 4,2004, p. C1)

 

BLOCK TRADE.  The selling or buying of shares of stock in 100 share units.  Trades of less than 100 shares are called odd-lot transactions.

BLOW BY BLOW. In complete detail (boxing).

BLOW HOT AND COLD. Waver, change one’s opinion back and forth.

“John Hansen, president of the Nebraska Farmers Union, allows that the union, known for its populist bent, does have some criticism. One is that his experience, and that of some members, in Nebraska has been that the Farm Credit System blows hot and cold in its interest to make loans.” (ABA Journal, Nov. 2003, p. 107)

BLOW THE WHISTLE (TO). Attempt to stop something by reporting it to authorities. See also WHISTLE-BLOWER.

“Executives aren't required to tattle on their own companies, but ‘if you did something you know was wrong, you may want to go to the government and get immunity or leniency,’ says Seth Taube, the Securities and Exchange Commission's former enforcement chief for New York. ‘The earlier you blow the whistle, the better deal you get.’" (Wall Street Journal, April 21, 2004, p. C1)

BLUE-BOOK VALUE. Market value of automobiles. Refers to Kelley’s “Blue Book” of automobile prices.

BLUE-CHIP. Top quality, highest. In poker, the blue chip is the highest-valued chip.

“The Dow industrials, meanwhile, rose 110.32 points, or 1.1%, to 10083.15, marking the 22nd time the blue-chip index has crossed 10000 at closing since it first topped that mark in March 1999. The average still is down 3.6% for the year.” (Wall Street Journal, August 19, 2004, p. C1)

BLUE-COLLAR WORKER. Non-professional employee; laborer. See WHITE-COLLAR.

BLUE-HAIRS. Elderly women consumers.

 

BLUE IN THE FACE (TO TALK UNTIL) Exhausted and frustrated.

BLUE LAWS. Local or state regulations restricting some types of business activities on Sunday. Foreign visitors to the BIBLE BELT are often bemused to find they cannot buy liquor on Sunday in some parts of the region. The term is derived from the nineteenth-century, when “blue” meant drunk or lewd.

“Blue laws: A proposal to end South Carolina's blue laws, which restrict business on Sundays, would solve a hairy problem at the Columbiana Centre mall in Columbia.” (Wall Street Journal,  Oct. 23, 1996, p. S1)

BLUE RIBBON PROGRAM/COMMISSION. Top quality; highly regarded.

BLUESHIRTS. IBM employees. See also BIG BLUE.

 

“The blueshirts from Armonk (N.Y.) descended on the personal-computer division in Boca Raton (Fla.), crushing its autonomy and, by default, turning the market over to a multitude of competitors.” (Wall Street Journal, May 30, 1996, p. A11)

 

BLUE-SKY LAWS. State securities laws requiring sellers of new stock issues to register and provide financial information about the company.

 

“Unlike Mr. Blum, they haven't demonstrated that investors relied on the research, leaning instead on state ‘blue-sky laws,’ which require brokerage firms to fairly disclose material facts to investors. The term stemmed from the belief that if investors weren't adequately protected, they could be sold anything -- including the ‘blue sky’ itself.” (Wall Street Journal, March 17, 2004,p. C1)

BLUE STREAK. Very rapid.

 

BLUETOOTH.  Name of a wireless technology which, like Wi-Fi, allows wireless connection to computers over a short distance.

 

“Originating from a Danish king’s name, the term Bluetooth describes another wireless technology, different from Wi-Fi.”  (Wall Street Journal, December 4, 2002, p. D5)

BLURB. A brief announcement about a product.

BOAT ANCHOR.  Something, usually a piece of equipment, that is useless.

BODY LANGUAGE. Nonverbal communication.

BOGEY. A target, also a budget bogey which is a budget limit.

BOGUS. False, fraudulent.

"’Who am I kidding?’ says an unemployed chief financial officer. ‘Everyone knows that I'm looking for a job. It's bogus to pretend that all I really want is information.’" (Wall Street Journal, August 10, 2004, p. B4)

BOHICA. Bend over, here it comes again.

“Eileen C. Shapiro discusses how to determine if one's organization is being hurt by ‘bohica,’ which she defines euphemistically as "bow out, here it comes again," and refers to an increasingly common employee coping strategy for dealing with the steady stream of new and improved programs and slogans. Shapiro argues that poor employee attitude might indicate that managers have failed to ensure that the newest program or slogan could pass the bohica audit.” (Wall Street Journal, Feb. 26, 1996, p. A12)

BOILERPLATE. Standard legal language used in contracts.

“United Policyholders, a 12-year-old advocacy group that represents consumers and commercial-insurance buyers, maintains the boilerplate disclosures brokers provide aren't enough, given a broker's role as a buyer's representative. ‘If you're going to tell me I've got to read the fine print, that's not what people are paying for,’ said Amy Bach, executive director of the San Francisco group.” (Wall Street Journal,  August 11, 2004, p. C3)

BOILER ROOM. A questionable sales organization, usually in telephone marketing.

“Your May 10 editorial ‘Headline Risk at the SEC’ suggested the SEC has proposed mutual fund reforms merely for their ‘headline value.’ Unfortunately, since fraud at mutual funds was pervasive, far more than headlines are at stake. The funds called into question were not boiler-room operations: Fraud occurred at some of the biggest and most reputable fund companies. Anything less than a forceful response from policymakers would be irresponsible.” (Wall Street Journal,  May 17, 2004, p. A21)

BOILS DOWN TO. Essence; most important considerations.

“No matter how many ‘issues’ the GOP uses as bait, the party's underperformance among blacks is likely to continue so long as the negative perceptions do. ‘What it boils down to,’ says Mr. Nadler, ‘is that Republicans don't have the guts to run the kind of hard-hitting program attacking Democrats on Democratic turf.’" (Wall Street Journal, July 28, 2004, p. A12)

 

BOIL THE OCEAN (TO)To attempt something too ambitious.

BOMB (TO). Fail horrendously.

BOMBSHELL. Big surprise.

“With strong U.S. economic numbers -- including the bombshell 8.2% gross-domestic-product growth number in the third quarter and November's brisk manufacturing survey, ‘we are quite certain that rates are going up,’ says Scott Hetzer, senior vice president and treasurer at Dominion Resources Inc., a Richmond, Virginia, energy producer.” (Wall Street Journal,  Dec. 4, 2003, p. C1)

BONA FIDE. In good faith (Latin).

“Instead, eBay is one of the bona fide hits of the Internet era and, in some ways, a global economy unto its own. Under Ms. Whitman's direction, the company has expanded into more than two dozen countries, creating a vast online marketplace where users sold $24 billion of electronics, appliances and other goods last year.” (Wall Street Journal, August 5, 2004, p. B1)

BOOK ENTRY.  Registration of stock ownership without issuing stock certificates.

BOOKS. Financial records.

BOOK THE GOODS (TO). Place an order.

BOOK VALUE. The value at which an asset is carried on the firm’s balance sheet. Book value is calculated by subtracting liabilities and intangible assets (GOOD WILL) from a company’s assets.

 

BOOMERANG METHOD.  Sales technique where the salesperson turns a buyer’s objections into reasons to purchase the product.

BOOMERS. See BABY BOOMERS.

BOONDOGGLE. A special deal; questionable public spending.

“The demonstration projects for competition are really simply ‘fig leaves’ (as some of my former colleagues have privately admitted). I was in Congress long enough to know how demonstration projects really work. For liberal spending boondoggles, they become entrenched parts of the federal government. But, on needed reforms, demonstration projects mean a quiet, obscure death.” (Wall Street Journal, Nov. 21, 2003, p. A12)

BOOT (TO GIVE SOMEONE THE). Terminate, fire someone.

BOOT CAMP. Training facility or program (military).

“A new spa, the Mountain of Youth, opened in February outside of Atlanta. Weeklong ‘boot camps’ run $1,100 and include 12 hours of lectures on diet, nutrition and supplements as well as white-water rafting and horseback riding.” (Wall Street Journal,  August 13, 2003, p. D1)

BOOTSTRAP BUSINESS. A venture started with very little capital.

 

BOOTSTRAPPING.  Starting or operating a business with very few resources.

 

“The problem: How to know when to ditch the bare-bones bootstrapping practices and behave like a grown-up business.” (Wall Street Journal, August 3, 2004, p. B8)

BOOT UP (TO). Start a computer.

“The messages you got suggest that the computer isn't seeing the drive, and so it can't find Windows and can't boot up from the drive. This might mean the drive is corrupted, but it doesn't necessarily mean your data are lost or irretrievable.” (Wall Street Journal, August 19, 2004, p. B4)

BORROWED UP. Having taken out loans up to the lender’s limit.

 

BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE.  Involving both parties. 

 

BOTS.  Automated search robots.

 

“The bots collect the information and return it to be posted on the company’s Bargain.com Web site.”  (Wall Street Journal, September 16, 2002, p. R13)

BOTTLENECK. Something that slows the production process.

“Higher inventory levels now could lead to slower growth later. Once companies have build enough of a buffer against supply shortages and production bottlenecks, they don't need to build it again.” (Wall Street Journal,  July 30, 2004, p. C1)

BOTTOM FISHING. Buying stocks that have significantly declined in value.

“‘The rally we saw late in the day was nothing more than some bargain hunting and some bottom-fishing,’ said Tim Smalls, senior stock trader at brokerage firm SG Cowen." (Wall Street Journal, Feb. 14, 2003, p. C1)

BOTTOM LINE. An accounting profit or loss; the main idea.

“If you hold company stock in your 401(k) and retire or change jobs, gains will be taxed at the lower capital-gains rate if you take the shares as a lump-sum distribution. Downside: You immediately have to pay income taxes -- and possibly a tax penalty -- on the stock's ‘cost basis,’ the value at which you acquired the shares. -- Bottom line: This maneuver is worthwhile only if you have a big gain on the stock.” (Wall Street Journal,  August 18, 2004, p. D1)

BOTTOM OF THE BARREL. Last resort, last option available.

“The savings rate, which has had a sudden and sharp drop from an already low 2.7% in July to a near-bottom-of-the-barrel 1.2% in December, likely was flat in January.” (Wall Street Journal, March 1, 2004, p. C1)

BOTTOM OF THE LINE. Least expensive; lowest quality.

 

BOTTOM OUT (TO). Reach lowest point or price.

 

“‘We should see a recovery in 2007 to 2008. Rents can't fall much further in new buildings, because if they do, the developers will go bust,’ says Leslie Chua, an associate director at Jones Lang LaSalle, a real-estate services firm. ‘I think we'll see rent prices bottom out in 2005 to 2006,’ says Mr. Chua. " (Wall Street Journal, Dec. 10, 2003, p. B1)

BOTTOM-UP.  Business analysis method where the whole is the sum of the individual parts. 

BOUNCE IDEAS. Share new ideas with others.

BOUTIQUE. A visible, specialized subdivision of a business.

BOXED IN. Having few or no choices; to narrow the possibilities.

“Help Wanted: How Much Longer Can Consumers Keep The Economy Afloat? -- A Key Prop Is Threatened By Rise in Joblessness; Inventories Look Better -- Boxed In at the White House.”  (Wall Street Journal,  Sept. 10, 2001, p. A1)

BOXING PEOPLE. Placing people in categories, stereotyping.

BOZO FILTER. An e-mail filter that deletes messages from people or groups the recipient does not want to receive messages from.

BOZON.    Stupidity; not genuine.

BRACKET CREEP. The tendency of inflation to push people into higher tax brackets.

“To prevent bracket creep, in which taxpayers are pushed into higher brackets simply because of inflation, Congress requires annual cost-of-living adjustments. Those adjustments are tied to the consumer price index.” (Wall Street Journal, Sept. 18, 2002, p. D1)

 

BRADY BONDS. Dollar-denominated bonds issued during the Bush administration, and used to assist Latin American countries in debt restructuring. The securities are named after Bush’s Secretary of Treasury, Nicholas Brady.

 

“Before Mexico became the first sovereign borrower last month to adopt collective-action clauses in a bond subject to New York law, a unanimous agreement by bondholders was required in the U.S. to make payment adjustments. However, bondholders could alter nonpayment terms via exit consents where a simple majority could render the old bonds too unattractive for holdout creditors to keep. Such consents were used in Ecuador's Brady bond debt restructuring in 2000, which garnered a 97% participation rate.” (Wall Street Journal, March 12, 2003, p.1)

 

BRAIN CHECK. A mental error.

BRAINPOWER. Knowledge, creativity.

“New industry brainpower may help. Wal-Mart recently hired an outside consultancy to help tackle its fashion problems, including the George line.” (Wall Street Journal, July 2, 2004, p. B1)

 

BRAINSTORMING. Group creative thinking; sharing wild ideas.

 

“Mr. [Mohammed] told interrogators that the discussion of U.S. targets began in the early-to-mid-1990s between him and his nephew Ramzi Yousef, architect of the 1993 attack on the World Trade Center. The two ‘would think about what drives the U.S. economy when brainstorming about potential targets,’ the summary states. Mr. Mohammed ‘listed Hollywood, automobiles and wheat as major contributors to the U.S. economy,’ the summary states.” (Wall Street Journal,  June 17, 2004, p. A1)

 

BRAIN TRUST.  A group of experts in a discipline who provide guidance to leaders.

 

BRANDING.  The process of creating and reinforcing a brand image that captures the attention and recall of consumers.

 

“At issue is whether brokers at the Wall Street securities firm who sell mutual funds have in some cases bypassed the use of ‘break points,’ sliding fee scales under which investors pay lower sales charges for putting more money into Morgan Stanley portfolios.”  (Wall Street Journal, March 5, 2003, p. C1)

 

BRAND METRIC.  Measure of a brand’s performance.

BRASS. Management. See also TOP BRASS.

BREAD AND BUTTER. Basic; main component.

“Liberal Party nationalism is hardly original. Sounding the alarm against encroaching foreigners is an old and reliable gimmick to expand the power of the state. It is Fidel Castro's bread and butter.”  (Wall Street Journal,  July 16, 2004, p. A13)

BREADWINNER. Family member who brings home cash income. See also BRING HOME THE BACON.

“Integrated Defense, which includes all of Boeing's military and space programs, continued to serve in its role as Boeing's breadwinner, bringing in 12% higher revenue of $7.3 billion.” (Wall Street Journal,  Oct. 30, 2003, p. A3)

BREAK ALL THE RULES (TO). Go against tradition.

 

BREAK BULK.  Shipping term for less-than-container load packages.

BREAK DOWN (TO). Stop suddenly or unexpectedly; to fall apart.

"If the market kicks back into gear, as it did in May, then it can resume its upward climb,’ Mr. Hayes says. ‘But if you break down here, you could get a new leg to the downside,’ he adds.” (Wall Street Journal, July 25, 2004, p. 1)

BREAKOUT SESSION.  A separate meeting by part of a larger group meeting together.

 

BREAK POINTS.  Discount fee schedule for investors as they purchase greater amounts of a brokerage firm’s investment products.

BREAK THE ICE (TO). Initiate conversation; make the first sale of the day.

“On Tuesday, he had lunch with a local Presbyterian minister and the two arranged for a joint service at the church next month, followed by a dinner at Mr. Ahmed's mosque. ‘Food breaks the ice,’ he says.” (Wall Street Journal, Sept. 14, 2001, p. W1)

BREAKTHROUGH. Dramatically new product or idea.

BRETTON WOODS. Site of the major international finance conference held in 1944 (New Hampshire). At the Bretton Woods conference, a fixed exchange rate system was agreed upon, and the WORLD BANK and INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND were established.

“Under the second Bush administration, the United States has set out to establish itself as a positive force for order in the world, but it has been uninterested in the non-military side of world power, in particular the monetary leadership exercised so successfully by the U.S. during Bretton Woods or Great Britain during the 19th century. A world money would be an extraordinary boon to international stability.” (Wall Street Journal, June 30, 2003, p. A17)

 

BRIDGE LOAN/FUNDING. A short-term loan to facilitate a deal until permanent financing can be arranged.

 

BRIM BURN.  Confusion created by changing job responsibilities (changing hats) too quickly or too often.

 

BRING HOME THE BACON (TO). Earn income to support one’s family.

 

“His cable strategy has always been risky in economic and technological terms, though he has enjoyed a political honeymoon because he promises to bring competition to local phone markets. But politics won't bring home the bacon for Mr. [Mike] Armstrong's shareholders. The question now is whether he's willing to confront the ‘open access’ nonsense head-on in order to grab AT&T's real business opportunity.” (Wall Street Journal, Jan. 26, 2000, p. 23)

 

BRING THE SYSTEM TO ITS KNEES.  To overload a computer so that it crashes or operates extremely slowly.

 

BRING TO THE TABLE.   To offer or provide something to an organization or negotiation.

BRING UP TO SPEED. Inform someone of the most recent events.

BRINK OF. The edge of.

“At that rate, Delta would have a cushion of about $1.5 billion by late October. That is close to the level industry analysts have said could put Delta on the brink of a bankruptcy-court filing.” (Wall Street Journal, August 10, 2004, p. B3)

 

BROADBANDING.   Promotion and pay structure where employees remain in one large salary range rather than moving from grade to grade.

BROKEN RECORD. Annoying, constant repetition.

BRONX CHEER. Boo. The Bronx is a borough in New York City, whose residents have become famous for voicing their disapproval. 

“The move was greeted with a Bronx cheer on Wall Street. Analysts, long ill-disposed to Medco's relationship to Merck, have lately grown even more wary of the combination.” (Wall Street Journal, July 10, 2002, p. A3),

 

BROWN-BAG (TO). Bring one’s lunch to the office.

 

“The BYO Power Lunch; Brown-Bagging It Is in Style (Sort of), but Hold the Tuna; Career Savings of $100,000.” (Wall Street Journal, Oct. 8, 2003, p. D1)

 

BROWN FIELD. An industrial site that is abandoned and unlikely to be redeveloped due to environmental contamination.

 

“In 1996, the Clinton administration introduced legislation to clean up brown fields and stimulate redevelopment of former industrial sites in urban areas. Wednesday's theme is the environment, and the president will issue a proposal involving the cleanup of toxic waste sites and so-called brown fields industrial areas.”  (Wall Street Journal, August 26, 1996, p. A12)

BROWNIE POINTS. Positive marks or recognition an employee receives for his or her actions from superiors.

"Nobody is going to rush out in the streets and stage pro-American demonstrations in gratitude for saving Muslims, says John Voll of the Center for Christian Muslim Understanding. You get blamed for specific incidents, but you end up getting Brownie points only incrementally, in the long run." (Wall Street Journal, March 26, 1999, p. A16)

 

BROWN-NOSE (TO). Flatter, kiss up to. See also ASS-KISSER.

 

“Richard Stengel, a former senior editor at Time magazine, addresses this change in the way we flatter in his thought-provoking new book, ‘(You're Too Kind) A Brief History of Flattery.’ In this loosely constructed study of the apple-polisher and the brown-nose, Mr. Stengel defines flattery as ‘strategic praise’ and then goes about showing us how it has taken over in our modern society and become our main currency of interaction.” (Wall Street Journal,  June 9, 2000, p. W1)

 

BUBBA. Uneducated Southerner; among Southerners it is a term of endearment (corruption of “brother”). See also REDNECK. The author once played in a softball game in Charleston, South Carolina, where five of the players were nicknamed Bubba, and four Junior!

 

“Political analysts say his visits to rural areas are paying off, too, and not only with roadside signs. ‘ . . . Don't forget the bubba vote,’ says David ‘Mudcat’ Saunders, a builder and developer from Roanoke and a regular at the shad planking in Wakefield. ‘Bubba likes this man.’ No sooner said than the Bluegrass Brothers band from Salem, posted next to Mr. Warner's beer truck and hired by his campaign, strikes up a country number in praise of the candidate.” (Wall Street Journal, April 26, 2001, p. A21)

 

BUBBLE BURST. Sudden decline in stock prices after a rapid increase.

 

“The percentage for more-mature economies is usually in the teens; even the percentages for South Korea and Thailand didn't reach so high in the lead-up to their financial crises in the late 1990s. Beijing's also is higher than it was when an investment bubble burst in China a decade ago, causing the economy to endure years of deflation.” (Wall Street Journal, July 19, 2004, p. A9)

BUCK. Dollar; to ignore or oppose authority.

“Through companies' second-quarter earnings reports one can find plenty of instances where revenue was helped along by the swaybacked buck. Procter & Gamble said dollar weakness, which increases the dollar value of the products it sells overseas, added four percentage points to sales growth versus the year-ago quarter.” (Wall Street Journal, August 18, 2004, p. C1)

BUCKET SHOP. A place where dubious business transactions take place; international travel consolidator.

“In the latest allegations, made in 10 civil lawsuits in federal courts around the country and in three SEC administrative proceedings, the SEC turned its focus from securities brokers to company officials who deceive investors, Mr. (Richard) Walker said. ‘We've done things in the past on promoters and bucket-shop brokers,’ he said. ‘This focuses on those who issue and sell the securities to the public.’” (Wall Street Journal, Sept. 15, 1998, p.1)

BUCKLE DOWN (TO). Get to work.

“Hyundai Buckles Down to Reforming --- Liabilities Grow Smaller At Korean Powerhouse; Critics Seek More Action” (Wall Street Journal,  Dec. 28, 1999, p. A15)

BUCK SLIP. An office routing slip listing who is to receive the correspondence.

 

BUCK STOPS HERE (THE). Take responsibility. A sign on President Harry Truman’s desk read “The buck stops here.” 

 

“Driving home one night last June, Pete Finazzo chuckled when he came up with what he thought was a great catch phrase for his company's cleaning products: ‘The Yuck Stops Here.’ But the yuks stopped for Mr. Finazzo when he spied a Kleenex ad in the November issue of Reader's Digest using the same slogan, a play off the classic Harry Truman line, The Buck Stops Here." (Wall Street Journal, November 30, 1998, p. B1)

 

BUCK THE TREND. Act contrary to what others are doing.

 

“Mr. [David Elliot Cohen] thinks ‘America 24/7’ could buck the trend, noting that when ‘A Day in the Life of America’ came out, there was no proven mass market for coffee-table books. ‘In a way, that book was like Led Zeppelin -- wonderful in itself, but it also spawned a lot of bad heavy metal groups,’ he says. ‘The quality went down, and the market disappeared. ["America 24/7"] will revive that market.’" (Wall Street Journal, Sept. 29, 2003, p. B1)

BUDDHIST ECONOMICS. Economic philosophy that challenges Western assumptions of materialism and motivation. The term and ideas were popularized among Westerners by E. F. Schumacher in his book Small is Beautiful: Economics As if People Mattered.

BUG. A weakness or problem in a system; to bother or pester; a secret listening device.

BUILD A FENCE AROUND (TO). Protect.

BUILD/MAKE A BETTER MOUSETRAP. Create a new or better product. Marketers use this phrase to represent firms with a production mentality, who focus on their product rather than the needs of their customers.

“If a man can write a better book, preach a better sermon, or make a better mouse-trap than his neighbor, though he builds his house in the woods the world will make a beaten path to his door.” (Attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson.)

 

BUILDING SOCIETY.  A savings and loan (