Oxford Business English Dictionary for Learners of English

undershoot /,Anda'Ju:t; AmE-dar'J[27]-/ verb [+ obj or no obj] (undershot, undershot /-'Jot; AmE -'Ja:t/) to fail to reach a target: We have undershot our sales targets for the last two years, о Tax revenues undershot by $7 billion. [oppI overshoot

undershoot /'Andaju:t.; AmE'лпйэг-/ noun [c]

the undersigned/.Anda'saind; AmE -dar's-/ noun [c] (plural the undersigned) (only used in written English)

the person who has signed that particular document: We, the undersigned, agree to...

underspend /.Anda'spend; ЛтЕ-dar's-/ verb [+ obj or no obj] underspent, underspent /-spent/) to spend less than the amount that you can or should spend: We have underspent our IT budget this year, о For many years the government has underspent on public transport. IoppI overspend

underspend /'Andaspend; AmE 'Andars-/ noun [C, usually sing., U]: The extra money comes from a £5 million underspend in another department. underspending /.Anda'spendiq; AmE .Andar's-/ . noun [uj

understaffed /,Anda'sta:ft;AmE,Andar'staeft/ adjective

(HR) (about a company, an office, etc.) not having enough people working and therefore not able to function well: The office was seriously understaffed.

understaffed hospitals isyni undermanned [oppI overstaffed

.under'staffing noiw [u]

understate /.Anda'steit; AmE -dar's-/ verb [+ obj] (Accounting) to report a smaller amount of money, etc. than the real amount in official records: The accounting methods used understated the company's liabilities. (oppI overstate underreport

understatement /'Andasteitmant; AmE 'Andars-/ noun [c.u]

undersubscribed /.Andasab'skraibd; AmE -dars-/ adjective

(Finance) (about a sale of shares, bonds, etc.) not having enough buyers: The share issue was undersubscribed by 50%. -» oversubscribed

to undertake a programme/project/task ♦ to undertake an analysis/investigation/a study ♦ to undertake reforms/research/work

2 [no obj] to agree or promise that you will do sth: He undertook to finish the job by Friday.

undertaking /.Anda'teikiq; AmE -dar't-/ noun see also: transfer of undertaking

[C] a task or project, especially one that is important and/or difficult: To build a website to handle their worldwide sales was no small undertaking.

О an enormous/a considerable/huge/major/massive

undertaking

[с] a business: Why do they keep pouring money into a failing commercial undertaking?

[c.U] an agreement or a promise to do sth: The company gave a written undertaking to compensate customers if there were serious delays.

to renege on/break/give/honour an undertaking

undervalue /,Anda'vaelju:;/4/7?Ј-dar'v-/ verb [+ obj] (usually be undervalued)

to give sth a value that is less than its real value: The currency is undervalued against the dollar. |opp] overvalue

to not recognize sth/sb as being as good or as important as it/he/she, etc. really is: She left the firm because she felt undervalued.

underweight /.Anda'weitj/AmE-dar'w-/ adjective (Stock Exchange) having less of a particular type of investment or asset in a collection than the index that you are following or than your usual position: The fund is currently underweight in both stocks.

ioppi overweight marketweight

►,underweight verb [+ obj or no obj]

underwrite /.Anda'rait/ verb [+ obj] (underwrote /.Anda'raot; AmE-'rout/ underwritten /.Anda'ritn/)

(Finance) to agree to pay for an activity and accept financial responsibility for any losses it may make: The money raised will enable the company to underwrite new business.