TOP

Definition of investment noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

        

    investment

     noun
    noun
    NAmE//ɪnˈvɛstmənt//
     
     
    jump to other results
  1. 1[uncountable] the act of investing money in something to encourage foreign investment investment income investment in something This country needs investment in education. Topic CollocationsThe Economymanaging the economy
    • handle/run/manage the economy
    • boost investment/spending/employment/growth
    • stimulate demand/the economy/industry
    • cut/reduce investment/spending/borrowing
    • reduce/curb/control/keep down inflation
    • create/fuel growth/demand/a boom/a bubble
    • encourage/foster/promote/stimulate/stifle innovation/competition
    • encourage/work with/compete with the private sector
    • increase/boost/promote U.S./agricultural exports
    • ban/restrict/block cheap/foreign imports
    • the economy grows/expands/shrinks/contracts/slows (down)/recovers/improves/is booming
    • enjoy an economic/housing/property boom
    economic problems
    • push up/drive up prices/costs/inflation
    • damage/hurt/destroy industry/the economy
    • cause/lead to/go into/avoid/escape recession
    • experience/suffer a recession/downturn
    • fight/combat inflation/deflation/unemployment
    • cause/create inflation/poverty/unemployment
    • create/burst a housing/stock market bubble
    • cause/trigger a stock market crash/the collapse of the banking system
    • face/be plunged into a financial/an economic crisis
    • be caught in/experience cycles of boom and bust
    public finance
    • cut/reduce/slash/increase/double the defense/education budget
    • increase/boost/slash/cut public spending
    • increase/raise/cut/lower/reduce taxes
    • raise/cut/lower/reduce interest rates
    • ease/loosen/tighten monetary policy
    • balance the (state/federal) budget
    • achieve/maintain a balanced budget
    • run a ($4 trillion) budget deficit/surplus
    • ⇨ more collocations at
  2. 2[countable] the money that you invest, or the thing that you invest in a minimum investment of $10, 000 a high return on my investments Our investments are not doing well. We bought the house as an investment (= to make money). Topic CollocationsBusinessrunning a business
    • buy/acquire/own/sell a company/firm/franchise
    • set up/establish/start/start up/launch a business/company
    • run/operate a business/company/franchise
    • head/run a firm/department/team
    • make/secure/win/lose/block a deal
    • expand/grow/build the business
    • boost/increase investment/spending/sales/turnover/earnings/exports/trade
    • increase/expand production/output/sales
    • boost/maximize production/productivity/efficiency/income/revenue/profit/profitability
    • achieve/maintain/sustain growth/profitability
    • cut/reduce/bring down/lower/slash costs/prices
    • announce/impose/make cuts/cutbacks
    sales and marketing
    • break into/enter/capture/dominate a market
    • capture/gain/grab/take/win/boost/lose market share
    • identify/find/build/create a market for something
    • start/launch an advertising/a marketing campaign
    • develop/launch/promote a product/Web site
    • estimate/assess/create/generate demand for your product
    • attract/get/retain/keep/help customers/clients
    • drive/generate/boost/increase demand/sales
    • beat/keep ahead of/out-think/outperform/ (informal) stymie the competition
    • meet/reach/exceed/miss sales targets
    finance
    • draw up/set/present/propose/agree on/approve a budget
    • keep to/balance/cut/reduce/slash the budget
    • be/come in below/under/over/within budget
    • generate income/revenue/profit(s)/funds/business
    • fund/finance a campaign/a venture/an expansion/spending/a deficit
    • provide/raise/allocate capital/funds
    • attract/encourage investment/investors
    • recover/recoup costs/losses/an investment/an outlay
    • get/obtain/offer somebody/grant somebody credit/a loan
    • apply for/raise/secure/arrange/provide financing
    failure
    • lose business/trade/customers/sales/revenue
    • accumulate/accrue/incur/run up debts
    • suffer/sustain enormous/heavy/serious losses
    • face cuts/a deficit/bankruptcy/a shortfall
    • declare/file for/enter/avoid/escape bankruptcy
    • liquidate a company/a business/assets
    • survive/weather a recession/downturn
    • propose/seek/block/oppose a merger
    • launch/make/accept/contest/defeat a takeover bid
  3. 3[countable] a thing that is worth buying because it will be useful or helpful A microwave is a good investment.
  4. 4[uncountable, countable] the act of giving time or effort to a particular task in order to make it successful The project has demanded considerable investment of time and effort.
See investment in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary