business
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.
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.
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
1synonym study For business
pronunciation note For business
Other words for business
Other words from business
- an·ti·busi·ness, adjective
- in·ter·busi·ness, adjective
- mul·ti·busi·ness, adjective
- non·busi·ness, adjective
- o·ver·bus·i·ness, noun
- pro·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.
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 | THE DAILY BEASTThe project tries to help young Turkish women raised in orphanages to start their own businesses.
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 | THE DAILY BEASTAuthorities 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 | THE 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. RobertsSo 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 PepysLay long in bed, and so up and abroad to several places about petty businesses.
Diary of Samuel Pepys, Complete | Samuel PepysThence to my office all the afternoon as long as I could see, about setting many businesses in order.
Diary of Samuel Pepys, Complete | Samuel PepysThen 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
/ (ˈbɪznɪs) /
a trade or profession
an industrial, commercial, or professional operation; purchase and sale of goods and services: the 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 activity: business is poor today
commercial policy or procedure: overcharging 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 to: the business of the meeting
an affair; matter: a queer business; I'm tired of the whole business
serious work or activity: get down to business
a complicated affair; rigmarole
informal a vaguely defined collection or area: jets, 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 required: it tastes vile, but it does the business
Origin of business
1Collins 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
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
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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