INDEX:
1. organization/system/method
2. machine
3. person
4. to make a business or system more efficient
5. not efficient
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ ORGANIZE
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1. organization/system/method
▷ efficient /ɪˈfɪʃ ə nt/ [adjective]
an efficient organization, method, or system is one in which all the parts work well together and good results are achieved without any money or time being wasted :
▪ The passport office seems very efficient - I got a new passport in just 48 hours.
▪ We need more efficient methods of transporting goods.
efficiently [adverb]
▪ Under the new management, the business is working much more efficiently.
▷ well-organized also well-organised British /ˌwel ˈɔːʳgənaɪzd◂/ [adjective]
organized in a careful and efficient way, and therefore likely to be successful :
▪ The exhibition was very well-organized.
▪ It was a well-organized demonstration, in which about 1000 people took part.
▪ More employers now have well-financed and well-organized health promotion programs within the workplace.
▷ well-run /ˌwel ˈrʌn◂/ [adjective]
use this about an organization or business that is successful and efficient because the people in charge organize it well :
▪ The Klausner is a comfortable, well-run hotel.
▪ Public transport in this country is well-run and inexpensive.
▷ well-oiled machine /ˌwel ɔɪld məˈʃiːn/ [singular noun]
an organization or system that is very efficient and operates easily, without any problems :
run/work like a well-oiled machine
▪ The administration runs like a well-oiled machine.
▷ smooth /smuːð/ [adjective]
efficient and without problems or difficulties :
▪ To ensure a smooth change-over, we’d like you to start work one week before your predecessor leaves.
▪ FrontPage is a software program that helps to organize the entire web site so that it works in a smooth fashion.
▪ The main responsibility of the Project Co-ordinator is to ensure the smooth running of the department.
smoothly [adverb]
▪ The rescue was carried out smoothly and with the minimum of fuss.
2. machine
▷ efficient /ɪˈfɪʃ ə nt/ [adjective]
use this about a machine that works well and produces good results without any money or time being wasted :
▪ This is the most efficient and economical washing machine on the market.
▪ My new computer’s much faster and more efficient than the old one was.
energy efficient
using less gas, oil etc than other systems, machines etc
▪ Modern houses are much more energy efficient
▪ an energy efficient heating system
efficiently [adverb]
work/run efficiently
▪ The shower doesn’t seem to be working very efficiently at the moment.
▷ economical /ˌekəˈnɒmɪk ə l, ˌiə-ǁ-ˈnɑː-/ [adjective]
a machine or vehicle that is economical is not expensive to use or run because it does not use much electricity, oil, gas etc :
▪ People should be encouraged to buy smaller, more economical cars with fewer toxic emissions.
▪ The Unipot does the work of several saucepans, and is very economical.
economical on
▪ I’d like to buy a car that is more economical on petrol.
3. person
▷ efficient /ɪˈfɪʃ ə nt/ [adjective]
someone who is efficient works well and does what needs to be done without wasting time :
▪ For a successful business, friendly and efficient staff are essential.
▪ The doctor was cheerful and efficient, which immediately made me feel more relaxed.
efficiently [adverb]
▪ The secretary dealt with all our inquiries very efficiently.
▷ efficiency /ɪˈfɪʃ ə nsi/ [uncountable noun]
an efficient way of working :
▪ I was impressed by her speed and efficiency.
▪ The management seems to expect staff to be constantly achieving higher levels of efficiency and productivity.
▷ effective /ɪˈfektɪv/ [adjective]
someone who is effective, especially someone in a position of authority, deals quickly and successfully with the work they have to do :
▪ An effective teacher will always produce better exam results.
▪ What we need is a tough and effective leader with a sense of direction .
effectively [adverb]
▪ It’s the responsibility of the head teacher to deal effectively with any behavioural problems.
effectiveness [uncountable noun]
▪ The course is designed to help you improve your effectiveness how effective you are in managing people.
▷ capable /ˈkeɪpəb ə l/ [adjective]
someone who is capable does things well and confidently and does not need anyone else’s help or advice :
▪ All the staff at the nursing home seemed very capable.
▪ They’ve got a very capable lawyer working on the case.
▪ Rebecca was, without question, the most capable technician on the team.
capably [adverb]
▪ Mr Stevenson chaired the meeting firmly and capably.
▷ well-organized also well-organised British /ˌwel ˈɔːʳgənaɪzd◂/ [adjective]
someone who is well-organized plans things well so that they achieve what they want to achieve :
▪ If you work as a personal assistant, you need to be well-organized.
▪ Well-organized rebel forces have succeeded in recapturing the town.
▷ businesslike /ˈbɪznɪs-laɪk, ˈbɪznəs-laɪk/ [adjective]
someone who is businesslike deals with people effectively and does not waste time on things that are not important :
▪ As a lawyer, you have to be controlled and businesslike at all times.
▪ Gates gave a brief, businesslike explanation of his plans for the company.
▷ run a tight ship /rʌn ə ˌtaɪt ˈʃɪp/ [verb phrase]
to manage a business or company very efficiently, especially by having strict rules and by not allowing the people working there to have much freedom :
▪ We run a very tight ship here, and we expect all our employees to be at their desks by nine o'clock.
▷ productive /prəˈdʌktɪv/ [adjective]
someone who is productive does a job efficiently and with good results, because they work faster than most people or do more work than most people :
▪ Studies show that if screen workers have short but frequent breaks they become much more productive.
▪ The most productive members of staff are rewarded by financial bonuses.
4. to make a business or system more efficient
▷ improve/increase efficiency /ɪmˌpruːv, ɪnˌkriːs ɪˈfɪʃ ə nsi/ [verb phrase]
▪ We must increase efficiency and reduce costs if we are to make a profit this year.
▪ The company has concentrated on encouraging worker involvement and improving efficiency.
▪ Less complex business processes can reduce costs and improve efficiency and quality.
▷ streamline /ˈstriːmlaɪn/ [transitive verb]
to make the processes of a business or system simpler so that it operates more quickly and more efficiently :
▪ We have streamlined the whole business by introducing a new computer system.
▪ People are calling for steps to reform the juvenile justice system, including streamlining the process of prosecuting young offenders.
▷ rationalize also rationalise British /ˈræʃ ə nəlaɪz/ [transitive verb]
to make a business or system more efficient by making it quicker, more modern, and less wasteful :
▪ Since the administrative side of the business has been rationalized, all departments have become more efficient.
▪ The budget proposed selling off $1,300 million worth of state-run enterprises and rationalizing the tax structure.
rationalization /ˌræʃ ə nəlaɪˈzeɪʃ ə nǁ-lə-/ [uncountable noun]
▪ Rationalization within the industry means that some workers may lose their jobs.
5. not efficient
▷ inefficient /ˌɪnɪˈfɪʃ ə nt, ˌɪnəˈfɪʃ ə nt/ [adjective]
something or someone that is inefficient does not work as well as they should or could, in a way that wastes time, money, or effort :
▪ The postal service in this country is very inefficient.
▪ Inefficient management leads to poor employee performance.
inefficiency [uncountable noun]
▪ Because of our lawyer’s inefficiency, we had to wait another month before moving into our new house.
▷ ineffectual /ˌɪnɪˈfektʃuəl◂, ˌɪnəˈfektʃuəl◂/ [adjective]
a person or organization that is ineffectual is not able to get things done because they are not good enough or do not have a strong character :
▪ The police were completely ineffectual in this matter.
▪ He’s a nice enough man, but rather ineffectual as a team captain.
▪ The problems were made worse by the ineffectual political leadership of the coalition.
▷ ineffective /ˌɪnɪˈfektɪv, ˌɪnəˈfektɪv/ [adjective]
someone who is ineffective, especially someone in a position of authority, is not able to deal successfully with the work they have to do :
▪ I sometimes feel that she is just totally ineffective in this job.
▪ A combination of ineffective management and inadequate investment brought about this collapse.
▷ badly-run /ˌbædli ˈrʌn◂/ [adjective]
an organization that is badly-run produces bad results because it is badly managed :
▪ The club was badly run and had to close after only six months.
▪ a badly-run company