- a business or company
- a law/consulting/research firm
- an accounting/investment firm
- They hired an engineering firm to produce a model of their device.
- a firm of something a firm of solicitors/accountants/architects
- She works for a firm of management consultants based in London.
Collocations BusinessBusinessRunning 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/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
- break into/enter/capture/dominate the market
- gain/grab/take/win/boost/lose market share
- find/build/create a market for something
- start/launch an advertising/a marketing campaign
- develop/launch/promote a product/website
- create/generate demand for your product
- attract/get/retain/help customers/clients
- drive/generate/boost/increase demand/sales
- beat/keep ahead of/out-think/outperform the competition
- meet/reach/exceed/miss sales targets
- draw up/set/present/agree/approve a budget
- keep to/balance/cut/reduce/slash the budget
- be/come in below/under/over/within budget
- generate income/revenue/profit/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
- get/obtain/offer somebody/grant somebody credit/a loan
- apply for/raise/secure/arrange/provide finance
- lose business/trade/customers/sales/revenue
- accumulate/accrue/incur/run up debts
- suffer/sustain enormous/heavy/serious losses
- face cuts/a deficit/redundancy/bankruptcy
- file for/ (North American English) enter/avoid/escape bankruptcy
- (British English) go into administration/liquidation
- liquidate/wind up a company
- survive/weather a recession/downturn
- propose/seek/block/oppose a merger
- launch/make/accept/defeat a takeover bid
Extra ExamplesTopics Businessb2- By the age of only 28 she was a partner in a top law firm.
- the city's oldest and most prestigious law firm
- I'm a designer at a London-based publishing firm.
- The group hired a large PR and lobbying firm.
- They are an investment-banking firm specializing in mergers and acquisitions.
- She set up her own software firm.
- The technology is now available for use by government agencies and private firms.
- He founded a firm called Artek in 1935 to manufacture and distribute his designs.
- He owns a local construction firm.
- Wendy has joined the firm as director of marketing.
- Local firms are finding it difficult to compete in the international market.
- She hired a firm of private detectives to follow him.
- He is the senior partner of a firm of solicitors.
- She heads a firm of independent financial advisers.
- The firm employs 85 000 people around the world.
- The firm was taken over by a multinational consultancy.
- The well-established firm closed down with the loss of 600 jobs.
- They are likely to merge with a bigger firm.
- US firms operating in China
- firms operating in domestic markets
- a firm specializing in high-tech products
- At 16 he went to work for the family firm.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- big
- large
- major
- …
- establish
- found
- launch
- …
- be based in something
- expand
- grow
- …
- in a/the firm
- within a/the firm
- a client of a firm
- a firm of accountants, consultants, solicitors, etc.
- a partner in a firm
- …
Word Originnoun late 16th cent.: from Spanish and Italian firma, from medieval Latin, from Latin firmare ‘fix, settle’ (in late Latin ‘confirm by signature’), from firmus ‘firm’; compare with farm. The word originally denoted one's autograph or signature; later (mid 18th cent.) the name under which the business of a firm was transacted, hence the firm itself (late 18th cent.).Definitions on the go
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