Buzzwords, made up words, non-existent verbs, incorrect/trendy use of
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Added by fred on Sunday 14th October 2007 at 10:37pm
Across the piece
Does this mean "everything" or "everywhere" or "in all areas" or something like that?
"We will be developing new policies across the piece"
"We will be developing new policies across the piece"
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Added by SusanSwift on Tuesday 26th February 2008 at 5:57pm
Action
Example:
"Can you own this action"
Excuse me? Can I somehow assume ownership of some movement you just did with your arm?
Or perhaps that isn't what you meant.
"Can you own this action"
Excuse me? Can I somehow assume ownership of some movement you just did with your arm?
Or perhaps that isn't what you meant.
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by spider on Tuesday 11th September 2007 at 3:30pm
Agile development techniques
Absolutely no idea what this is supposed to mean.
IT manager: "Ok guys, we're a bit time-boxed here, we'll have to use agile development techniques to hit our milestones"
IT manager: "Ok guys, we're a bit time-boxed here, we'll have to use agile development techniques to hit our milestones"
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by rob68 on Wednesday 31st October 2007 at 3:29pm
Ahead of the curve
I saw this on the website of a software testing company:
"All our consultants are ahead of the curve"
I'm afraid that I can't shed any light on what this might mean.
"All our consultants are ahead of the curve"
I'm afraid that I can't shed any light on what this might mean.
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by spider on Tuesday 25th September 2007 at 5:01pm
Backfill
Annoyance score: 2
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Added by spider on Sunday 9th September 2007 at 11:30am
Bandwidth
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by jen on Saturday 20th October 2007 at 7:43pm
Brain space
This seems to mean "attention"
"We need to direct our brain space to this problem"
"We need to direct our brain space to this problem"
Annoyance score: 1
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Added by SusanSwift on Thursday 8th November 2007 at 8:39am
Colleague
This word now seems to be used where the word "staff" used to be used.
e.g. in Sainsbury, over the P.A.
"This is a colleague announcement..."
I also notice it all the time at work:
"would all colleagues..."
What's wrong with "staff announcement" or "would all members of staff"? Where did this "colleague" thing come from?
As if I didn't know.
e.g. in Sainsbury, over the P.A.
"This is a colleague announcement..."
I also notice it all the time at work:
"would all colleagues..."
What's wrong with "staff announcement" or "would all members of staff"? Where did this "colleague" thing come from?
As if I didn't know.
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by waffle on Wednesday 28th November 2007 at 6:20pm
Conference
I heard a guy on the radio just now say
"... you're just trying to conference together the various economic factors..."
So conference is now a verb.
"... you're just trying to conference together the various economic factors..."
So conference is now a verb.
Annoyance score: 2
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Added by Mandrake on Wednesday 28th November 2007 at 9:17am
Diary
Apparently "diary" is a verb, would you believe.
"Could we diary that for next week?"
Seems to mean "schedule" or "arrange"
Madness.
"Could we diary that for next week?"
Seems to mean "schedule" or "arrange"
Madness.
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by mitchel on Monday 28th January 2008 at 1:03pm
Dog food
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Added by spider on Thursday 25th October 2007 at 5:02pm
Drive a stake in the ground
My boss says this a lot but I've no idea what she means. Can anyone help?
Annoyance score: 1
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Added by mitchel on Wednesday 14th May 2008 at 2:06pm
Engage
A fancy word for "meet"
"We've engaged with Susan 3 times"
Or more simply:
"We met Susan 3 times"
"We've engaged with Susan 3 times"
Or more simply:
"We met Susan 3 times"
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by waffle on Monday 14th January 2008 at 10:01pm
Engagement process
"Speak to"
"We need to enter into (sic) an engagement process with the business"
meaning: "we need to talk to the business"
"We need to enter into (sic) an engagement process with the business"
meaning: "we need to talk to the business"
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by fred on Tuesday 15th January 2008 at 8:50pm
Ever-green
To make a system operational all day, every day, all year.
"The system needs to be ever-greened"
"The system needs to be ever-greened"
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by plasticfantastic on Friday 21st November 2008 at 1:31pm
Evolve Vertical Relationships
A woman has just started at my company and she said this: We need to evolve vertical relationships with our end-users, so we can deliver a better turn-key products.
I have no idea what this means. And also how does this apply to the travel company I work for?
My head hurts.
I have no idea what this means. And also how does this apply to the travel company I work for?
My head hurts.
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by plasticfantastic on Friday 21st November 2008 at 1:23pm
Evolve Vertical Relationships
What does this mean?
There's a woman who just started working at my company, and she said this: We need to Evolve Vertical Relationships with our customers so we can achieve better Turn-Key solutions.
Evolve Vertical Relationships - Say What?
Turn-Key - Have no idea what this is. But I guess that its something to do with locks and keys.
My head hurts. :(
There's a woman who just started working at my company, and she said this: We need to Evolve Vertical Relationships with our customers so we can achieve better Turn-Key solutions.
Evolve Vertical Relationships - Say What?
Turn-Key - Have no idea what this is. But I guess that its something to do with locks and keys.
My head hurts. :(
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by Mandrake on Monday 14th January 2008 at 7:54pm
Float it around the matrix
This means "to ask other people what they think"
e.g.
Employee to the boss of his boss: "My boss doesn't seem to promote people as often as happens in other teams"
Big boss: "Really? I'll float that around the matrix"
e.g.
Employee to the boss of his boss: "My boss doesn't seem to promote people as often as happens in other teams"
Big boss: "Really? I'll float that around the matrix"
Annoyance score: 2
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Added by rob68 on Saturday 22nd December 2007 at 9:33am
Forgot password
This often appears on web pages beside login forms. Do they mean "forgotten password?" as in "have you forgotten your password?" What does "forgot password?" mean?
Example of use:
"Forgot password?"
Example of use:
"Forgot password?"
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by SusanSwift on Monday 17th December 2007 at 11:34pm
Give good lunch
This means "charming"
"He (some politician or other) gives good lunch"
meaning "he is charming"
"He (some politician or other) gives good lunch"
meaning "he is charming"
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by jen on Tuesday 23rd October 2007 at 8:38pm
Going forward
This means 'in the future'
Minister: "We will look for excellence in outcomes going forward"
Not sure what the rest of it means!
Minister: "We will look for excellence in outcomes going forward"
Not sure what the rest of it means!
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by Mandrake on Wednesday 2nd April 2008 at 10:41pm
Heads up
"Can you give me a heads up on the issues, please£"
This means "Can you tell me what the problems are please£"
At least I think that's what it means.
This means "Can you tell me what the problems are please£"
At least I think that's what it means.
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by Mandrake on Sunday 25th November 2007 at 12:32am
In the round
Minister: "We need to look at the evidence in the round"
Do you know what this means? I don't. I would appreciate enlightenment.
Do you know what this means? I don't. I would appreciate enlightenment.
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by jen on Saturday 20th October 2007 at 10:55pm
invite
There's nothing wrong with this word per se, it's just when it's used as a noun:
"Did you get an invite to the meeting?"
aaaarrrrrrgh "invite" is a verb. The word you're looking for is "invitation".
"Did you get an invite to the meeting?"
aaaarrrrrrgh "invite" is a verb. The word you're looking for is "invitation".
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Added by uncleboko on Saturday 2nd May 2009 at 8:50pm
Issues
We will address the issues
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Added by waffle on Wednesday 14th May 2008 at 2:08pm
Leverage
"We need to leverage the resource pool"
I thnk this means:
"We need to fully utilise our staff"
I thnk this means:
"We need to fully utilise our staff"
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by chrisdee on Wednesday 31st October 2007 at 12:00pm
low hanging fruit
You can forget all those bells and whistles, on this project we're going for the low hanging fruit.
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Added by spider on Wednesday 26th September 2007 at 5:17pm
Manage expectations
Let your colleagues down
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Added by nate on Tuesday 16th September 2008 at 9:02am
Mileage
Does this mean "what we get out of"?
"What would be the mileage in us learning this?"
"What would be the mileage in us learning this?"
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by CrispyKing on Friday 23rd May 2008 at 9:51am
Multi-Polar World
This seems to suggest a multi-cultural society, however falls flat with it's mention of Polar.
I believe that this was created by someone having a blue sky idea at Accenture. At least, that's the site that comes up when you Google it.
I believe that this was created by someone having a blue sky idea at Accenture. At least, that's the site that comes up when you Google it.
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by frankieMcF on Wednesday 7th November 2007 at 4:39pm
No worries
Q: Can I borrow your cagoule this weekend ? I'm going hillwalking.
A: Yup, no worries mate.
Seems to mean "take it with my blessing" or "of course".
A: Yup, no worries mate.
Seems to mean "take it with my blessing" or "of course".
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by spider on Friday 28th September 2007 at 11:59am
Offshore
To get work done cheaply, if not well.
Manager: Budgets are tight; let's offshore this work parcel.
Manager: Budgets are tight; let's offshore this work parcel.
Annoyance score: 1
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Added by jen on Friday 27th June 2008 at 12:43pm
onboard
"We have onboarded a range of services..."
It seems to be a verb, but what it emans I do not know. Absolutely ridiculous.
It seems to be a verb, but what it emans I do not know. Absolutely ridiculous.
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by mitchel on Friday 31st October 2008 at 11:54am
PM Blog
Maybe it's not really misuse. Perhaps just overuse. Well, strictly speaking it isn't even a "blog".
"Go to the PM blog" "You can talk about it on the PM blog" and so on.
"Go to the PM blog" "You can talk about it on the PM blog" and so on.
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by spider on Monday 8th October 2007 at 11:35pm
Pre-order
Why not just say order? Same with pre-book. What exactly is the "pre" adding?
Annoyance score: 3
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Added by waffle on Monday 26th November 2007 at 9:22am
Price point
"Price point" seems to mean "price".
"I saw a trombone for £60. At that price point you can't really go wrong"
"I saw a trombone for £60. At that price point you can't really go wrong"
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by fred on Thursday 18th October 2007 at 2:29pm
Redundancy opportunity
This means "lose your job"
Personnel Dept. "...the restructuring will mean that there will be redundancy opportunities across the piece..."
i.e. "... lots of people are going to be sacked ..."
Personnel Dept. "...the restructuring will mean that there will be redundancy opportunities across the piece..."
i.e. "... lots of people are going to be sacked ..."
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by spider on Monday 1st October 2007 at 8:13am
Resource
Resource is often used to mean 'person' or 'people' and is frequently appended, completely unneccessarily, to words and phrases:
IT Manager: "We'll need to get some developer resources for this project"
IT Manager: "We'll need to get some developer resources for this project"
Annoyance score: 9
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Added by spider on Tuesday 23rd October 2007 at 10:35pm
Resource contention point
A member of staff is needed for task A but is already busy with task B.
Manager 1: "We've got a resource contention point"
Manager 2: "Get some more resources"
Manager 1: "We've got a resource contention point"
Manager 2: "Get some more resources"
Annoyance score: 1
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Added by SusanSwift on Sunday 6th January 2008 at 3:35pm
Specialty
"Specialty" what's wrong with "speciality"?
Specialty is utter nonsense and should be treated with derision whenever encountered.
Specialty is utter nonsense and should be treated with derision whenever encountered.
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by spider on Tuesday 30th November 1999 at 12:00am
Square the circle
To make a problem fit the design.
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by rob68 on Friday 22nd February 2008 at 12:33pm
Surge
Or "code surge".
Computing project manager:
"Timescales are slipping. We need to implement a code surge"
Computing project manager:
"Timescales are slipping. We need to implement a code surge"
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by Eric Lodger on Tuesday 20th November 2007 at 5:52pm
timebox
It seems it's not a Victorian word for an early model of clock, but a synonym for the verb "schedule". Example:
If the design will be ready on the 6th, let's try to timebox the build for early November.
If the design will be ready on the 6th, let's try to timebox the build for early November.
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by spider on Thursday 11th October 2007 at 10:54am
Touch Base
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Added by rob68 on Friday 18th April 2008 at 1:55pm
Townhall
This, would you believe, means "to discuss".
Example:
"Could we get together later to townhall these issues£"
Example:
"Could we get together later to townhall these issues£"
Annoyance score: 1
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Added by SusanSwift on Thursday 29th May 2008 at 10:01pm
Transition
We will transition X into his new role as manager of blah blah blah.
Yes, "transition" is now a verb.
Yes, "transition" is now a verb.
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by waffle on Wednesday 18th June 2008 at 9:05pm
Upskill
"We will upskill teachers (by teaching them mathematics)"
Upskill would seem to mean "teach"
We will teach teachers mathematics.
Upskill would seem to mean "teach"
We will teach teachers mathematics.
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by spider on Monday 3rd September 2007 at 8:10am
Upweigh the spend
To pay more, probably:
IT manager: "We'll need to upweigh the spend on this one".
IT manager: "We'll need to upweigh the spend on this one".
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by frankieMcF on Wednesday 7th November 2007 at 5:34pm
Wake up call
Definition: reminder
Eg: I ought to go shopping more often. Yesterday I went to the fridge and there was no milk. Like its a wake up call.
Eg: I ought to go shopping more often. Yesterday I went to the fridge and there was no milk. Like its a wake up call.
Annoyance score: 0
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Added by chrisdee on Wednesday 31st October 2007 at 12:04pm
workshop (verb)
I can't quite get my head round the new project spec. Can we get the team together to workshop it next Friday afternoon ?
Annoyance score: 0
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