The words condescending and patronizing present a fine example of this. At first glance these words appear to be defined somewhat circularly: condescending often has the word patronizing in its definition, and patronize is defined, in part, as âto adopt an air of condescension toward.â But both of these words have specialized senses that lend a shade of meaning to their synonymous senses. Patronizing can mean giving support to or being a customer of, suggesting that the condescending sense implies superiority gained through a donor-dependent relationship. The verb condescend used to be free of any hint of the offensive superiority it usually suggests today.
A company's worth - its total value - is its market capitalization, and it is represented by the company's stock price. Market cap (as it is commonly referred to) is equal to the stock price multiplied by the number of shares outstanding. For example, a stock with a $5 stock price and 10 million shares outstanding/trading is worth $50 million ($5 x 10 million).
share image by Patrizier-Design from Fotolia.com. The market value of stock is the price at which a share of stock trades in the public market. Stocks can be traded on a stock exchange, such as the New York Stock Exchange, or over the counter through a network of dealers. The market value of stock measures the collective expectations of investors about a companyâs future performance and is watched closely by investors, analysts and companies.