HACKER. Computer nerd who illegally enters computer systems; a poor golfer.

HACK IT (TO). Succeed; put up with.

HALF TONES. Photographs used in advertising pieces.

HALO EFFECT. Situation where past positive perceptions influence current judgment.

 

“Auto dealers said heavily advertised no-interest-loan offers have brought consumers into nearly all brands' showrooms ready to buy. ‘There's a halo effect,’ said Oscar Suris, spokesman for AutoNation Inc., the largest new-car dealer in the < xml="true" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" prefix="st1" namespace="">U.S. At Honda Motor Co., which offers few sales incentives on its lineup, sales so far in October are outpacing last year's record result.” (Wall Street Journal, October 11, 2002, p. A2)

HAMMER OUT (TO). Come to an agreement through difficult negotiation.

“Because of the complexity of these talks between companies, federal regulators had urged the parties to hammer out the details of a cohesive plan on their own." (Wall Street Journal, May 20, 2004, p. A6)

HAMMER THE MARKET (TO). Sell large quantities of a stock at one time.

HAND OVER FIST (TO MAKE MONEY). So profitable that one is overwhelmed just taking in the money.

HANDS-ON (MANAGEMENT STYLE). Direct involvement with employees’ activities.

“Mr. Dewald's drying school is widely credited as the first one to flood a house to teach drying theory and hands-on techniques, and so far about 2,500 students have attended.” (Wall Street Journal, August 24, 2004, p. B1)

HANG IT UP (TO). Quit; retire.

HANG TOUGH (TO). Continue to struggle.

HAPPY HOUR. After-work promotional specials at a bar or restaurant. In the United States, happy hour is usually from 4:00 p.m.. to 7:00 p.m.

 

"What starts out as a co-worker relationship develops into a friendship, then a deep friendship, and then into a relationship. In my wife's case, work led to business lunches. Business lunches led to 'nonbusiness' lunches and then to 'happy hours.' And the whole thing led to divorce." (Wall Street Journal, Nov. 13, 2003, p. D1)

HARDBALL. Aggressive competition (baseball).

 

“Playing hardball with Pfizer is tougher. Suppose for instance that a benefit manager gives Merck & Co.'s pain reliever Vioxx a better position than Pfizer's Celebrex. This could mean that the benefit manager will have to pay more for Pfizer's Lipitor and Zoloft. Other companies try similar tactics, but don't have such a broad menu of drugs to use as a negotiating tool.” (Wall Street Journal, August 23, 2004, p. A1)

HARD CURRENCY. Money easily accepted worldwide.

HARD HAT. Manual laborer. See also BLUE-COLLAR WORKER.

HARD-HITTING. Forceful; strong-willed (football).

 

“‘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.’ When that changes, you'll know the GOP is getting serious about outreach.” (Wall Street Journal, July 28, 2004, p. A12)

HARD LINE.  A rigid negotiating position offering little compromise.

HARD-NOSED. critical, inflexible.

“She argues that there is no foundation for believing that ST is the chief cause of the race gap, so we shouldn't let it lead us into putting our hopes into ‘psychological’ explanations over a hard-nosed focus on skills.” (Wall Street Journal, May 4, 2004, p. A21)

HARD NUMBERS. Facts rather than estimates.

 

“Data Gap -- Behind Outsourcing Debate: Surprisingly Few Hard Numbers; Counting Jobs Moving Abroad Is a Complicated Task; Benefits Are Less Tangible; One Report: A Little Wobbly” (Wall Street Journal, April 12, 2004, p. A1)

HATCHET MAN. Junior executive who is given the task of firing employees.

 

“Mr. Mulva started in 1973 in Phillips's treasury department, becoming treasurer in 1986 and chief financial officer in 1990. In the mid-1980s, after Phillips took on a heavy debt load to avoid a takeover bid, he was said to be the company's ‘hatchet man,’ who oversaw steep and painful cost-cutting.” (Wall Street Journal, Nov. 21, 2001,  p. B6)

HAUL. Large sum of money, sometimes obtained illegally.

HAVE THE INSIDE TRACK. Have an advantage.

 

“Still, Northrop does appear to have the inside track if it is willing to increase its offer. Analysts expect it will and that Northrop officials intimated as much in the letter faxed by Mr. [Kent Kresa] late last Thursday to Philip Odeen, TRW's temporary nonexecutive chairman.” (Wall Street Journal, Feb. 25, 2002, p. A3)

HAWTHORNE EFFECT. Study which found that any changes in working conditions improved productivity.

 

“Hawthorne effect refers to the findings of a 1924 study that measured the correlation between specific working conditions and output. It showed that productivity increased (regardless of particular changes) whenever the workers sensed that they were regarded as valued members of the organization.” (Supervisory Management, May 1990, p. 6)

HEAD HONCHO. Top boss. The term honcho comes from Japanese, han-cho, the leader of a small group.

 

“Lots of studios were interested, but the final bidding came down to Fox Searchlight, Fine Line and Miramax. Midway through the auction, Harvey Weinstein, Miramax's head honcho, called James Dolan, chief executive of Cablevision, which owned the rights to the film, and asked if he could buy it.” (Wall Street Journal, August 30, 2002, p. W7)

HEADHUNTER. Recruiter who find executives for companies; implies stealing people from other organizations.

HEADLIGHTING. To bring issues up for discussion and consideration before they become crises.

 

“Texas Instruments is doing some headlighting by listing, as much as a year in advance, which jobs are in jeopardy and asking those employ-

ees, What do we need to do to broaden you out to look for a job inside or outside TI?” (Wall Street Journal, Oct. 3, 1995, p. B1)

 

HEADS UP (to provide someone with).  To alert someone.

HEALTH MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATION (HMO). Healthcare group which charges a fixed fee per member and provides a wide range of services to the members. From World War II until the 1990s, most health insurance programs in the United States allowed the insured person to choose any health provider. The premiums for this insurance were usually paid by the employer. HMOs have expanded rapidly in the 1990s as a means to constrain healthcare costs for employers.

HEARTLAND. The noncoastal areas of the United States. The heartland in the United States is perceived to have more “traditional,” conservative values.

 

HEAT (TO TAKE).  To receive a criticism.

HEAT-SEEKING WORK FORCE. Workers who move from business to business seeking employment in “hot” industries and companies. 

HEAVY HITTER/HEAVYWEIGHT. Very important person, business.

 

“The Property Report -- Building Value: Small Investors Look to Become Heavy Hitters,” (Wall Street Journal, Dec. 10, 2003, p.B10)

HEDGE (TO). Insure or protect against losses.

HELICOPTER (TO). Maintain a presence in a corporation; to observe the overall economic trends.

 

“The Ten Deadly Euphemisms, Part 2:1. Helicoptering. To advance, you must hover over the corporate scene to observe the broad economic tides that push companies into new businesses that create opportunities, or out of old businesses that eliminate them.” (Wall Street Journal, Oct. 3, 1995, p. B1)

HEM AND HAW (TO).  To stall or be evasive, not answering the question asked.

HEMLINE THEORY. U.S. stock market phenomenon correlating fashions for short skirts with BULLISH markets and longer skirts with BEARISH markets.

HERD INSTINCT/MENTALITY. Everyone follows the leaders.

 

“‘I don't think many places have carefully evaluated their odds of success,’ says Joseph Cortright, co-author of the Brookings report and an economist in Portland, Ore. The hot pursuit of biotech, he adds, is driven more by what he calls the ‘tremendous herd instinct’ of state and local development officials. ‘It's unlikely many of these biotech companies will grow into full-fledged manufacturing firms that produce lots of jobs.’" (Wall Street Journal, June 11, 2002, p. B1)

HEYDAY. Good times.

“The obvious implication of so much of the 9/11 Commission's report is that the real failing of the Clinton and pre-9/11 Bush Administrations wasn't so much one of intelligence but of mindset. Neither was committed enough to acting pre-emptively against our enemies, and to doing so without legal restrictions (such as the Ford- era executive order banning assassinations) that were imposed starting in the anti-CIA heyday of the 1970s.” (Wall Street Journal, August 4, 2004, p. A12)

HICCUP.  A temporary, unexpected deviation from the expected path or plan.

HIDDEN AGENDA. Important issues that are not officially part of a meeting; personal antagonism between managers.

HIDDEN COST. Unexpected or difficult-to-measure costs.

HIERARCHICAL COMMAND. Traditional, from-the-top-down management.

HIGH COTTON (IN). Conceited (Southern).

HIGH END. More expensive; powerful; up-to-date.

 

HIGH LEVEL ANALYSIS. An executive summary or outline of the conclusions.

 

HIGH ROAD (TO TAKE THE).  The ethical way of doing business or handling a situation.

HIGHER GEAR. A faster pace.

HIGHER-UPS. Senior administrators. See TOP BRASS, MUCKY-MUCKS.

 

“Mr. Turner's firm was responsible for one of the chief embarrassments to hit the Edwards campaign, when a law clerk stated publicly that firm higher-ups had assured staffers that they'd be reimbursed if they donated to the senator's White House run; the Justice Department's Public Integrity Section opened a criminal probe.” (Wall Street Journal, July 12, 2004, p. A16) 

HIGH FLYER. A stock or investment whose price has risen rapidly; implies that it may be a risky investment at the time.

HIGH-WIRE ACT. Risky decision.

 

“South Korea's High-Wire Act --- Seoul Tries to Cool Consumption as Exports Slow; Asia Watches” (Wall Street Journal, October 8, 2002, p. A20)

HIKE PRICES (TO). Increase prices.

HILL (THE). Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., site of the legislative branch of the U.S. government.

 

HILL OF BEANS.  Insignificant, of no value.

HIRED GUNS. Lawyers, accountants, and other business strategy consultants.

 

“If you want to understand the president's underlying motives, read the new book on his guru, [Karl Rove], ‘Bush's Brain.’ Penned by two crack Texas reporters, it discloses that in 1994 Mr. Rove, a hired gun for Philip Morris, persuaded the gubernatorial candidate George W. Bush to make tort reform a priority.” (Wall Street Journal, March 6, 2003, p. A13)

HIT. A success or a huge loss. Rapid sales of a new product suggest the product is a hit, while a sudden, significant decline in a firm’s sales or profits is also called a hit.

HIT LIST. Projects or programs that may be cut from a budget.

 

“War, not business, has driven Libya's recent rapprochement; he says the main driving force behind President Gadhafi's surprise move last year to give up Libya's arms program was his concern that Tripoli was next on Washington's hit list after the U.S. toppled Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.” (Wall Street Journal, August 5, 2004, p. A8)

 

HIT PAY DIRT (TO).  To succeed beyond expectations.

 

HIT THE COVER OFF THE BALL.  A very strong performance (baseball).

HIT THE FAN (TO). Refers to the onset of chaos or panic. Often the phrase is included in the saying, “when the shit hits the fan.”

 

HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.   To begin immediately and fully prepared.

HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD (TO). Be exactly right.

HIT THE PANIC BUTTON (TO). Become very alarmed.

 

HIT THE WINDSHIELD.  To fail miserably.

 

HITCH(noun). A problem; HITCH (verb) to become attached or associated with.

 

“But there’s a hitch.  There’s no definition of operating earnings in accounting rules.”  (Wall Street Journal, August 24, 1999, p. B1)

 

HOCKEY STICK.  Not very smart.

HOG-CORN RATIO. The ratio of the price received for a hog to the price of its primary input, corn. Developed by Dr. Earl O. Heady, the hog-corn ratio is used to determine whether it is more profitable to sell the corn or feed it to the hog.

HOI POLLOI. The many, the masses; people who have a high opinion of themselves (Greek).

“To that end Stronach has installed a giant television screen in Santa Anita's infield, opened a glassed-in restaurant half the length of the homestretch where patrons can eat a $40 lunch while watching the races on table TVs, and terraced, retiled and generally fancied up the railside area where many of the hoi polloi hang out.” (Wall Street Journal, Dec. 28, 1999, p. A16)

 

HOLD FEET TO THE FIRE (TO).  To put pressure on.

 

HOLDING THE BAG (TO BE LEFT).  To be left responsible for something after it has been abandoned by others.

HOLD THE LINE (TO). Not change, as in maintaining on offering price or controlling costs.

HOLD THE PHONE (TO). Delay, wait a minute (command).

HOLY GRAIL. Sacred creed or value.

 

“For people who rely on a smart phone or wireless PDA to do e-mail and access the Web, the Holy Grail has been to get a device that can work on both a cellphone network and on faster Wi-Fi wireless networks.” (Wall Street Journal, July 29, 2004, p. B4)

HOMEGROWN. Local.

HOME INDUSTRY ARGUMENT. Protection of local companies.

HOME IN ON (TO). Concentrate, focus.

 

“The original creation called for sour apple schnapps and became an instant local hit. It didn't take long for the DeKuyper brand team to home in on the recipe and promote it nationwide in industry trade publications.” (Wall Street Journal, March 1, 2002, p. B1)

HOME RUN. A success (baseball).

 

“Coke and Pepsi officials insist it's still too soon to conclude the new health-conscious colas are going flat. ‘Everybody in this category gets hyped up for a short-term home run in week one or two,’ said Dave Burwick, chief marketing officer for Pepsi-Cola North America in Purchase, N.Y.” (Wall Street Journal, July15, 2004, p. D4)

HOME TURF. Domestic or local market.

 

“Delta has gone from being one of the strongest airlines to a financial mess, piling up losses of more than $3.6 billion in the past three years. It faces pressure to slash overhead so it can compete against lower-cost carriers such as AirTran Holdings Inc.'s AirTran Airways and JetBlue Airways that have invaded Delta's home turf on the East Coast.” (Wall Street Journal, July 2, 2004, p. C1)

HONEYMOON. Extra cooperation at the beginning of a relationship.

“Charles Flocard, chairman of the Federation of European Air Transport Users, said he expects the two airlines to try to raise fares on routes that they dominated after a brief honeymoon period of low fares this summer.” (Wall Street Journal, Feb. 12, 2004, p. D3)

HONORARIUM. Stipend; small fee paid to a speaker.

HONORARY LIFE MEMBER (HLM). Private groups and organizations often bestow honorary life membership to people who have made significant contributions to their cause.

HOOK (TO). Gain control of; promotional device designed to bring in new customers.

HOOPLA. Excitement (French).

 

“With all the hoopla over higher interest rates, here's one lending sector where rates actually dropped after the Federal Reserve's decision to boost interest rates last week: federal student loans.” (Wall Street Journal, July 6, 2004, p. D2)

HOOPS. Barriers (that must be “jumped through”).

“Still, whether you buy EE or I bonds, don't expect to get rich. ‘Nobody ever called them investment bonds,’ quips Mr. Kurtz, the investment adviser. Mr. Kurtz is the author of a soon-to-be-available book, ‘Getting the Most Out of Your Savings Bonds.’ ‘There are a lot of hoops to jump through,’ Mr. Kurtz says. ‘In my experience, most people don't qualify.’"(Wall Street Journal, June 20, 2004, p. 3)

 

HORIZONTAL CAREER LADDER.  Sarcastic description of a job environment that has no opportunities for advancement.

 

HORSE OF A DIFFERENT COLOR.  Very different from the past.

 

HORSE’S MOUTH (from the).  A person in authority.

 

HORSE TRADING.  Deal making, particularly in politics.

HOSTILE TAKEOVER. Unfriendly buyout, purchase of control of a business by a CORPORATE RAIDER.

HOTBED. Popular or controversial; under pressure to produce.

 

“Meanwhile, U.S. forces appeared to be gearing up to move into the hotbeds of Najaf, where Shiite militants loyal to a radical cleric were holed up, and Fallujah, which is controlled by Sunni insurgents.” (Wall Street Journal, April 26, 2004, p. A4)

HOT BUTTONS. Management philosophy that employees should make decisions themselves without going to upper management; employees should push the hot buttons.

HOT-DESKING. Practice of not assigning permanent desks to employees; instead, workers share a pool of desks.

HOT ISSUE. A new stock that is popular among investors.

HOT POTATO. Something that is controversial.

 

“By not making their provisioning ‘clear and public,’ the other banks can gain some advantage of their own. Not disclosing how much they set aside for a possible Fiat loss keeps the banks from commenting on Fiat's financial prospects -- a political hot potato in Italy.” (Wall Street Journal, May 26, 2004, p. C3)

 

HOT SPOT.  A dangerous or risky situation.

HOT TIP. Information received in advance of others.

HOT UNDER THE COLLAR. Angry.

HOUSE-CLEANING. Reorganization of a business, usually including dismissal of many employees.

 

“With some $4 billion in revenue and $268 million in net income for its most recent fiscal year, Starbucks says its international business is on track to turn a profit next year for the first time since 1996. Results in the U.K. are improving following a new real-estate strategy and a house-cleaning in which U.S. managers were replaced with Brits.” (Wall Street Journal, Dec. 15, 2003, p. B1)

HUD. See DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT.

HUDDLE (TO). Come together to discuss strategy (football).

 

“What you see: Economy. When Mr. [Ted Waitt] took back the lead of the struggling personal-computer maker with cow-spotted boxes, one of his first cost-cutting moves was to consolidate offices. So he corralled workers from seven facilities and found a new headquarters, where they huddle together in one big room.”(Wall Street Journal, July 23, 2003, p. B6)

HUMAN RESOURCES (HR) DEPARTMENT. Department responsible for hiring, training, and the management of worker benefits.

HUMDRUM. Mediocre, ordinary.

HUMP DAY. Wednesday, the middle of the work week.

HUNT AND PECK.  Typing, using only your index fingers.

HUSH-MONEY. Bribe; payment to keep someone quiet.

 

“It is difficult to see how a 16-year-old black girl in Edgefield, S.C., could refuse advances from the randy son of one of that town's most prominent white lawyers -- but rather by the yearly hush-money he gave her (‘very substantial,’ but less than a million, her lawyer is quoted as saying), and the clout he used to help Ms. Williams and her son?” (Wall Street Journal, Dec. 23, 2003, p. A14))

HYPE. Superfluous promotion.

“Mr. Heinz says he has heard predictions of Xiaolingtong's demise for at least three years, particularly as the hype over ‘third-generation’ mobile gizmos -- those offering high-speed Internet access for viewing TV clips and playing online games -- has reached new heights.” (Wall Street Journal, July 8, 2004, p. B1)