meetings vocabulary.doc

Word
Part of speech

Meaning

Example Sentence

absent
adj

not present

The vice president is absent due to unforeseen circumstances.

accomplish
verb

suceed in doing

We have a lot to accomplish today, so let's begin.

address
verb

deal with; speak on

I hope we do not have to address this matter again in the future.

adjourn
verb

close a meeting

If there are no further comments, we will adjourn the meeting here.

agenda
noun

list of objectives to cover in a meeting

Please forward the agenda to anyone who is speaking at the meeting.

AGM
noun(abbr.)

Annual (yearly) General Meeting

We always vote for a new chairperson at the AGM.

allocate
verb

assign roles/tasks to certain people

I forgot to allocate someone to bring refreshments.

AOB
noun(abbr.)

Any Other Business (unspecified item on agenda)

The last item on the agenda is AOB.

apologies
noun

item on agenda announcing people who are absent; apologies for absence

Everyone is present today, so we can skip the apologies.

ballot
noun

a type of vote, usually in writing and usually secret

Please fold your ballot in half before you place it in the box.

board of directors
noun

group of elected members of an organization/company who meet to make decisions

The board of directors meets once a month to discuss the budget.

boardroom
noun

a large meeting room, often has one long table and many chairs

The boardroom is reserved for a managers' meeting, so we'll have to meet in the lounge.

brainstorm
verb

thinking to gather ideas

Let's take a few minutes and brainstorm some ways that we can cut costs.

casting vote
noun

deciding vote (usually by the chairman) when the votes are otherwise equal

The role of treasurer was decided based on the chairman's casting vote.

chairperson/chair
noun

the person who leads or presides at a meeting

As chair, it is my pleasure to introduce to you, Mr. Allan Davis.

clarification/verification
noun

explanation/proof that something is true/understood

Before we address this matter, I'll need some clarification as to who was involved.

closing remarks
noun

last thoughts spoken in a meeting (i.e. reminders, thank yous)

I just have a few closing remarks and then you will all be free to go.

collaborate
verb

work together as a pair/group

The board fell apart because the members had difficulty collaborating.

commence
verb

begin

We will commence as soon as the last person signs the attendance sheet.

comment
verb or noun

express one's opinions or thoughts

If you have a comment, please raise your hand rather than speak out.

conference
noun

formal meeting for discussion, esp. a regular one held by an organisation

Before the conference there will be a private meeting for board members only.

conference call
noun

telephone meeting between three or more people in different locations

Please make sure I have no interruptions while I'm on the conference call.

confidential
adjective

private; not to be shared

Any financial information shared during this meeting should be kept confidential.

consensus
noun

general agreement

If we cannot come to a consensus by the end of the meeting we will put it to a vote.

deadline
noun

due date for completion

The deadline for buying tickets to the conference is May 25th.

designate
verb

assign

If no one volunteers to take the minutes I will be forced to designate someone.

formality
noun

a procedure (often unnecessary) that has to be followed due to a rule