Construction Industry Terms

verb to hesitate or be unwilling to accept an idea or undertaking

• The company balked at the idea of increasing salaries for all employees.
• He balked when he saw the price tag on the new phone.
• She totally balked when she found out she had to work late on Friday night.
• The horse balked at the jump, refusing to go any further.

verb to carry out a task poorly or unsuccessfully

adjective describing something that has been done poorly or unsuccessfully

• The surgeon botched the operation, leading to serious complications for the patient.
• The handyman totally botched the repair job on my sink.
• I tried to fix my computer myself, but I totally botched it.
• The comedian's joke fell flat and was completely botched.

noun the ceremony of conferring degrees or diplomas at a graduation ceremony

• The commencement of the event will be marked by a speech from the dean.
• The commencement ceremony is finally here, time to celebrate!
• The commencement is about to go down, don't miss it!
• The commencement of a new chapter in his life brought about a sense of excitement and anticipation.

noun a group of people who work together, especially all those who work on and operate a ship, aircraft, or train

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• The crew worked diligently to complete the project on time.
• Hey, the whole crew is meeting up at the park later.
• The crew is totally killing it with their dance moves.
• Together, we make a great crew, always ready to support each other.

verb to transfer or bequeath property or a title to another person through a will or legal document

• The demised property will be auctioned off to the highest bidder.
• The demised company is no longer in business.
• I heard the demised car finally gave out on the highway.
• Her hopes of becoming a singer were demised when she failed the audition.

adjective describing how quickly something is done or happens

adverb modifying a verb, adjective, or other adverb to indicate the speed or manner in which something is done

• The team worked double quick to meet the deadline for the project.
• I need you to finish that report double quick.
• Let's hustle and get this done double quick.
• Her heart was beating double quick with excitement.

verb to hinder, impede, or burden someone or something with a task or responsibility

• The excessive paperwork encumbered the efficiency of the process.
• All these extra bags are really encumbering my ability to walk.
• I can't believe how much junk he's hoarding, it's really encumbering his space.
• Her emotional baggage encumbered her ability to move forward in life.

noun the full extent or scope of something

• The project is now in full swing with all team members actively working on their tasks.
• The party is in full swing, with music playing and people dancing.
• The concert is going to be lit, it's in full swing already!
• Her new business venture is in full swing, and she's already seeing success.

noun a phrase used to describe making money quickly and in large amounts

• The company is making money hand over fist with their new product line.
• He's winning at poker hand over fist tonight.
• She's spending cash hand over fist on designer clothes.
• The team is climbing the rankings hand over fist this season.

noun a delay or obstacle

verb to support or sustain; to hinder or delay

• Please hold up the document for further review.
• Hey, can you hold up a second? I need to grab something.
• Hold up, I didn't catch what you just said.
• The new evidence could hold up in court.

noun a sum of money that is withheld or retained for a specific purpose

verb to restrain or prevent someone or something from advancing or progressing

• The company faced financial difficulties due to the holdback of funds by investors.
• I can't buy that new phone yet because I have a holdback on my paycheck this month.
• I had to put a holdback on going out this weekend because I'm low on cash.
• Her fear of failure was a constant holdback in pursuing her dreams.

noun a physical object or possession that is being held or controlled

adjective referring to something that is currently being dealt with or managed

preposition indicating the location or position of something being held or controlled

• The project is currently in hand and progressing according to schedule.
• I've got the situation in hand, don't worry.
• I've got this job in hand, no sweat.
• With the new information in hand, she was able to make a more informed decision.

noun a person who does a particular job, especially a routine one

• The jobber was responsible for purchasing materials in bulk for the company.
• My uncle works as a jobber, buying and selling goods for a profit.
• The jobber scored a sweet deal on those electronics.
• In the world of finance, a jobber is like a middleman facilitating transactions.

noun A person engaged in physical work, especially in a manual or industrial job.

• The laborer worked diligently to complete the construction project on time.
• The laborer put in long hours to get the job done.
• That laborer is a hard worker, always giving it their all.
• The laborer was the foundation of the team, holding everything together.

noun the action of putting goods onto a vehicle for transportation

adjective used to describe something that is currently being loaded

• The loading of the data onto the server is taking longer than expected.
• This page is still loading, it's taking forever!
• Ugh, this loading screen is killing me.
• Her mind felt like it was constantly loading, struggling to process everything at once.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

• The noncompletion of the project caused delays in the overall timeline.
• She was stressed about the noncompletion of her assignment.
• The noncompletion of the game level was a bummer.
• The noncompletion of his journey left him feeling unfulfilled.

verb to throw or toss something with force

adjective having a specified key or pitch in music

• The sales representative pitched the new product to the potential clients.
• She pitched her idea for the school fundraiser to the principal.
• I pitched my brother on why he should lend me his car for the weekend.
• The singer's voice was pitched perfectly for the emotional ballad.

noun the act of lifting or elevating something

verb to lift or move something to a higher position

adjective used to describe something that has been increased or elevated

preposition can be used as a preposition in phrases like 'raise the bar'

• The company decided to raise the salaries of all employees by 5%.
• I heard that the boss is planning to raise our paychecks next month.
• I'm hoping for a raise so I can finally afford that new car.
• Her speech on climate change really helped raise awareness among the community.

noun a noun is a person, place, thing, or idea, in this case 'ready-made' can also be used as a noun to refer to a product that is already made and available for use

adjective an adjective describes a noun or pronoun, in this case 'ready-made' describes a product that is already made and available for use

• The company offers a range of ready-made solutions for businesses looking to streamline their operations.
• I love using ready-made cake mix because it's so easy to bake a delicious dessert quickly.
• I can't be bothered to cook tonight, let's just grab some ready-made meals from the store.
• She always has a ready-made excuse for not completing her work on time.

noun a very tall building with many stories

adjective skyscraping (extremely tall or high)

• The skyscraper stood tall amongst the other buildings in the city.
• That skyscraper is so big, it's hard to miss!
• Check out that massive skyscraper over there!
• Her dreams were like skyscrapers, reaching for the sky with determination.

verb past tense and past participle of stick, to be fixed in place

adjective unable to move or be freed

• The door was stuck and wouldn't budge no matter how hard I pushed.
• I got stuck in traffic on my way to work this morning.
• I'm so stuck on this new TV show, I can't stop watching it.
• She felt stuck in a dead-end job with no room for growth.

noun a person who supervises or directs people or activities

• The supervisor is responsible for overseeing the team's work and ensuring deadlines are met.
• I'll check with the supervisor to see if we can take a longer lunch break.
• My supervisor is pretty chill, he lets us listen to music while we work.
• The supervisor is like the captain of a ship, guiding the team towards success.

noun security given for the performance of a contract or the fulfillment of an obligation; a guarantee.

• The surety bond was required before the project could proceed.
• I had to provide surety for the loan with some collateral.
• I'm the surety for my friend's bail, so I have to make sure he shows up to court.
• Trust is the surety of a strong relationship.

noun a preview or advertisement for a movie or TV show

• The movie studio released the official trailer for their upcoming film.
• Did you see the trailer for that new movie yet?
• The trailer for the movie looks lit!
• The trailer of the book gave a glimpse into its exciting storyline.

adjective difficult to carry or move because of its size, shape, or weight; cumbersome

• The new machinery was too unwieldy to fit through the narrow doorway.
• Carrying that big box is such an unwieldy task!
• I hate using this unwieldy old laptop, it's so slow.
• Her unwieldy emotions were difficult to control during the stressful situation.

noun a man who is employed to perform physical labor

• The skilled workman carefully crafted the intricate design on the furniture.
• The workman fixed the leaky faucet in no time.
• That workman is a real pro at what he does.
• The workman of words carefully constructed the novel with precision.

noun a noun is a word that refers to a person, place, thing, event, substance, or quality

adjective an adjective is a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun

preposition a preposition is a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

• The research project is still a work in progress and will require more time to complete.
• My painting is a work in progress, I'm still adding details to it.
• My new website design is a work in progress, but it's coming along nicely.
• Rebuilding trust in a relationship is like a delicate work in progress that requires patience and effort.

noun Work in Progress - a project that is not yet completed

• The project is still a work in progress (WIP) and we are working diligently to meet the deadline.
• I haven't finished that report yet, it's still a WIP.
• I'm still tweaking my website, it's a total WIP right now.
• Life is a constant WIP, always evolving and changing.

noun a three-letter abbreviation for 'abracadabra', a word used in magic tricks

verb not applicable

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• The ABV of the wine is 13%, which is considered quite high.
• I heard the ABV of that beer is off the charts!
• Let's grab some drinks with a high ABV and really get the party started.
• The ABV of his energy levels was through the roof after drinking that energy drink.

verb to measure or apportion something, especially land

• The judge will admeasure the land before dividing it among the heirs.
• Let's admeasure the snacks so everyone gets an equal share.
• I'll admeasure the chores so we can finish quickly.
• She admeasured her time between work and hobbies to find a balance.