business as usual

Idioms  

1. The normal course of some activity, as in The fire destroyed only a small section of the store, so it's business as usual. This term originated as an announcement that a commercial establishment was continuing to operate in spite of fire, construction, or some similar interruption. It had been extended to broader use by 1914, when Winston Churchill said in a speech: “The maxim of the British people is ‘Business as usual,’” which became a slogan for the rest of World War I. Today it may be used in this positive sense and also pejoratively, as in Never mind that most civilians are starving to death—the ministry regards its job to be business as usual. [Late 1800s]

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Example Sentences

Members said it still feels like business as usual at Core, with banker and lawyer types coming in for breakfast and lunch with business contacts in the days after Epstein’s connection to the club became public.

From The Wall Street Journal

The particular financial needs of a factory also upend business as usual for developers and real estate funders.

From Los Angeles Times

The bank continued defending her and she attended Goldman’s annual partners meeting in Miami in early February, appearing determined to continue with business as usual, people familiar with the matter said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Investors had few places to hide in the stock market on Thursday, as fears around the potential for artificial intelligence to disrupt business as usual moved beyond the tech and software sectors.

From MarketWatch

“People are paying attention, and staying neutral or ‘business as usual’ feels impossible if you care about your community or your kids’ future.

From Salon