payroll system

demise: the end or failure of an institution, an idea, a company, etc.

poke around: to look for something, especially something that is hidden among other things that you have to move

miffed: slightly angry or upset

cursive: (of handwriting) with the letters joined together

slick: done or made in a way that is clever and efficient but often does not seem to be sincere or lacks important ideas

subterfuge: a secret, usually dishonest, way of behaving

payroll: a list of people employed by a company showing the amount of money to be paid to each of them

stipulate: to state clearly and definitely that something must be done, or how it must be done

pettiness: the fact of caring too much about small and unimportant matters, especially when this is unkind to other people

pecking order: ​(informal, often humorous) the order of importance in relation to one another among the members of a group

"Low stakes" refers to a situation with minimal risk, small potential consequences, or minor importance.

pull rank: to make use of your place or status in society or at work to make somebody do what you want

outrage: to make somebody very shocked and angry

slight: to treat somebody rudely or without respect

glean: to obtain information, knowledge, etc., sometimes with difficulty and often from various different places

reconcile: to check (a financial account) against another for accuracy

flag: to become tired, weaker or less enthusiastic

rabbit hole: a situation, often a confusing or strange one, from which it is difficult to escape

sole: only; single

devise: think up

insulting: causing or intending to cause somebody to feel offended

shrug: to raise your shoulders and then drop them to show that you do not know or care about something

An Orange Julius is a sweet, creamy, and frothy beverage made from frozen orange juice concentrate, milk, sugar, and vanilla extract, blended with ice to create a refreshing drink with a taste similar to a Creamsicle.

trespass: to enter land or a building that you do not have permission or the right to enter

bang out: to produce something quickly and often without taking much care

dub: to give somebody/something a particular name, often in a humorous or critical way

feign: to pretend that you have a particular feeling or that you are ill, tired, etc.

micromanage: to control every detail of an activity or project, especially your employees’ work

thrilled: ​very excited and pleased

"Wrap up" is a phrasal verb that means to finish or complete something, such as a meeting or project.

An acoustic coupler is a now-obsolete telecommunications device that allowed computers to transmit data over telephone lines by converting electrical signals into audible tones and vice versa.

enrage: ​to make somebody very angry

stoke: to make people feel something more strongly

chastise: (formal) to criticize somebody for doing something wrong

Bill Gates "Source Code"

Online Dictionaries Used:

hk.dictionary.search.yahoo.com

www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com

www.merriam-webster.com

Some explanations are provided by Google AI Overview.