business

[ biz-nis ]

/ ˈbɪz nɪs /

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See synonyms for: business / businesses on Thesaurus.com

noun

an occupation, profession, or trade: His business is poultry farming.

the purchase and sale of goods in an attempt to make a profit.

a person, partnership, or corporation engaged in commerce, manufacturing, or a service; profit-seeking enterprise or concern.

volume of trade; patronage: Most of the store's business comes from local families.

a building or site where commercial work is carried on, as a factory, store, or office; place of work: His business is on the corner of Broadway and Elm Street.

that with which a person is principally and seriously concerned: Words are a writer's business.

something with which a person is rightfully concerned: What they are doing is none of my business.

affair; project: We were exasperated by the whole business.

an assignment or task; chore: It's your business to wash the dishes now.

Also called piece of business, stage business. Theater. a movement or gesture, especially a minor one, used by an actor to give expressiveness, drama, detail, etc., to a scene or to help portray a character.

excrement: used as a euphemism.

adjective

of, noting, or pertaining to business, its organization, or its procedures.

containing, suitable for, or welcoming business or commerce: New York is a good business town.

OTHER WORDS FOR business

1 calling, vocation, employment.

2 commerce, trade, traffic.

3 company, firm.

See synonyms for business on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about business

business is business, profit has precedence over personal considerations: He is reluctant to fire his friend, but business is business.

do one's business, (usually of an animal or child) to defecate or urinate: housebreaking a puppy to do his business outdoors.

get down to business, to apply oneself to serious matters; concentrate on work: They finally got down to business and signed the contract.

give someone the business, Informal.

to make difficulties for someone; treat harshly: Instead of a straight answer they give him the business with a needless run-around.
to scold severely; give a tongue-lashing to: The passengers will give the bus driver the business if he keeps driving so recklessly.

have no business, to have no right: You have no business coming into this house.

mean business, to propose to take action or be serious in intent; be in earnest: By the fire in his eye we knew that he meant business.

mind one's own business, to refrain from meddling in the affairs of others: When he inquired about the noise coming from the neighbor's apartment, he was told to mind his own business.

Origin of business

before 950; Middle English; Old English bisignes.See busy, -ness

synonym study for business

1. See occupation.

how to pronounce business

See isn't.

OTHER WORDS FROM business

an·ti·busi·ness, adjectivein·ter·busi·ness, adjectivemul·ti·busi·ness, adjectivenon·busi·ness, adjective

o·ver·bus·i·ness, nounpro·busi·ness, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use business in a sentence

And then when businesses leave the state, they want to know why.
Christie Blames Parents for Bad Economy|Monica Potts|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Bitcoin began 2013 with a roaring price of $770 per unit, and businesses right and left were converting to the ethereal product.
You Were Wrong About Miley & Bitcoin: 2014’s Failed Predictions|Nina Strochlic|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The project tries to help young Turkish women raised in orphanages to start their own businesses.
The Women Battling an Islamist Strongman|Christina Asquith|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They were forced to leave their homes, businesses and families behind, and old grudges against the Castro regime run deep.
Aging Cuban Exiles And Their Lawmakers Bypassed by White House|Romina Ruiz-Goiriena|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Authorities have seized more than $250 million in assets from businesses across Rome.
The Mayor Who Took Down the Mafia That Ruined Rome|Barbie Latza Nadeau|December 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
During the war both the printing and publishing businesses suffered from shortage of personnel, of metal, and of paper.
A History of the Cambridge University Press|S. C. Roberts
So to the office till night, and then home and to write by the post about many businesses, and so to bed.
Diary of Samuel Pepys, Complete|Samuel Pepys
Lay long in bed, and so up and abroad to several places about petty businesses.
Diary of Samuel Pepys, Complete|Samuel Pepys
Thence to my office all the afternoon as long as I could see, about setting many businesses in order.
Diary of Samuel Pepys, Complete|Samuel Pepys
Then my law businesses for Brampton makes me mad almost, for that I want time to follow them, but I must by no means neglect them.
Diary of Samuel Pepys, Complete|Samuel Pepys

British Dictionary definitions for business

business

/ (ˈbɪznɪs) /

noun

a trade or profession

an industrial, commercial, or professional operation; purchase and sale of goods and servicesthe tailoring business

a commercial or industrial establishment, such as a firm or factory

commercial activity; dealings (esp in the phrase do business)

volume or quantity of commercial activitybusiness is poor today

commercial policy or procedureovercharging is bad business

proper or rightful concern or responsibility (often in the phrase mind one's own business)

a special task; assignment

a matter or matters to be attended tothe business of the meeting

an affair; mattera queer business; I'm tired of the whole business

serious work or activityget down to business

a complicated affair; rigmarole

informal a vaguely defined collection or areajets, fast cars, and all that business

Also called: stage business theatre an incidental action, such as lighting a pipe, performed by an actor for dramatic effect

a group of ferrets

euphemistic defecation (esp in the phrase do one's business)

slang prostitution

like nobody's business informal extremely well or fast

mean business to be in earnest

do the business informal to achieve what is requiredit tastes vile, but it does the business

Word Origin for business

Old English bisignis solicitude, attentiveness, from bisig busy + -nis -ness

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with business

business

In addition to the idiom beginning with business

business as usual

also see:

funny business
get down to (business)
go about (one's business)
have no business doing
land-office business
like mad (nobody's business)
make it one's business
mean business
mind one's own business
monkey business
none of one's business
out of business
send someone about his or her business
the business

business

OTHER WORDS FOR business

Idioms about business

Origin of business

synonym study for business

how to pronounce business

OTHER WORDS FROM business

Words related to business

How to use business in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for business

Word Origin for business

Other Idioms and Phrases with business