business

[ biz-nis ]

/ ˈbɪz nɪs /

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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR business 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.

Nearby words

Idioms

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

SYNONYMS FOR business

1. calling, vocation, employment. 2. commerce, trade, traffic. 3. company, firm.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR business ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

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

Synonym study

1. See occupation.

Pronunciation note

See isn't.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for businesses

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
This practice is rarely found in businesses that are subject to normal competition.
Distributive Justice|John A. (John Augustine) Ryan
As a matter of fact, the Touricar affairs were going as, in real life, most businesses go—just fairly well.
The Trail of the Hawk|Sinclair Lewis
Sir Clement—what think you—of an amicable adjustment of all these businesses?
The Heiress;|John Burgoyne
My uncle remarked that that showed how much I knew about businesses.
The New Machiavelli|Herbert George Wells
Something of this sort has been done in other businesses besides farming.
Hodge and His Masters|Richard Jefferies

British Dictionary definitions for businesses

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

Word Origin and History for businesses

business

Old English bisignes (Northumbrian) "care, anxiety, occupation," from bisig "careful, anxious, busy, occupied, diligent" (see busy (adj.)) + -ness. Middle English sense of "state of being much occupied or engaged" (mid-14c.) is obsolete, replaced by busyness.

Sense of "a person's work, occupation" is first recorded late 14c. (in late Old English bisig (adj.) appears as a noun with the sense "occupation, state of employment"). Meaning "what one is about at the moment" is from 1590s. Sense of "trade, commercial engagements" is first attested 1727. In 17c. it also could mean "sexual intercourse." Modern two-syllable pronunciation is 17c.

Business card first attested 1840; business letter from 1766. Business end "the practical or effective part" (of something) is American English, by 1874. Phrase business as usual attested from 1865. To mean business "be intent on serious action" is from 1856. To mind (one's) own business is from 1620s. Johnson's dictionary also has busiless "At leisure; without business; unemployed."

Idioms and Phrases with businesses

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

noun

adjective

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of business

Synonym study

Pronunciation note

Examples from the Web for businesses

business

noun

Word Origin for business

business

business