to call (something) off

to cancel something: Bob is ill, so we’ll have to call off the meeting.

to cancel (something) out

to have an opposite effect, causing a return to the original situation: The new tax cancels out the rise in the interest rate, so my earnings will stay the same.

to carry (something) forward

to apply e.g. a loss to the following year’s taxable income in order to reduce the tax burden (also carry over): We’ll have to ask the lawyers if we can carry this loss forward to next financial year.

to transfer an accounting entry to the next column, page etc.

to carry (something) off

to successfully achieve something (cf. bring off): Congratulations to the team for carrying off such a successful campaign.

to carry (something) out

to follow, put into practice: He carried out our instructions perfectly.

to cash (something) in

to benefit financially from something, to sell: He’s got a considerable number of shares which he’s planning to cash in when he retires.

to chase (something) up

to find information on something: We need to know the tax status on this. Tom – can you chase up the lawyers on this?

to persuade/remind someone to do something: Do we know the tax status yet? Where’s Tom? Not here? Jack, can you chase up Tom on this?

to claw (something) back

to get money back: The client won the case – the insurance was miss-sold. We should be able to claw back the agent’s commission.

Similarly “clawback” means the money got back.

to close (something) down

to permanently shut: He closed down the business last year.

to cobble (something) together

to make something in an improvised way: The client wants a sales brochure by tomorrow. Kate – can you stay late tonight and help us cobble something together?

to come up

to happen/occur: That was Tom on the phone. He said something came up at home and he has to take the afternoon off.

to come up against

to face a problem: The project was going very well until we came up against the strict customs clearance requirements.

to come up with

to have an idea: The lawyers have come up with a plan to reduce the tax bill on the transaction.

to contract (something) out

to employ a contractor to undertake work: As we don’t have any in-house translators we’ll have to contract that part of the project out.

to count on

to rely on somebody: We’re counting on the lawyers to find some tax loophole, otherwise we’ll have to halt the transaction.

to cover for

to do someone else’s work while they are absent: Do worry about taking Friday afternoon off – I’ll cover for you.

to provide an excuse: Don’t worry about being late this morning. I covered for you at the meeting. I told them that your little boy was sick.

to cut back on

to reduce: Profits are down on last year, so we’re going to have to cut back on your Christmas bonuses.