land-office business

[ land-aw-fis, -of-is ]

noun

1. a lively, booming, expanding, or very profitable business.

land-office business

noun

1. informal.
   a booming or thriving business

Word History and Origins

Origin of land-office business¹

An Americanism dating back to 1830–40

Idioms and Phrases

A thriving, expanding, or very profitable concern or volume of trade. For example, After the storm they did a land-office business in snow shovels and rock salt . This term, dating from the 1830s, alludes to the throng of applicants to government land offices through which Western lands were sold. It has been used for other booming business since the mid-1800s.

Example Sentences

A publisher (p. 347)once confided to me that he was doing a "land-office business" selling "slightly damaged stock."

From Project Gutenberg

When the troubles of 1860-61 rose I was literally doing "a land-office business," with money galore and to spare.

From Project Gutenberg

The excursions ran coaches, parlor-cars, dining-cars and sleeping-cars, and did a land-office business.

From Project Gutenberg

We could not afford to lose our claim, so I concentrated on my Land Office business.

From Project Gutenberg

“They seem to be doing a land-office business,” observed Walter.

From Project Gutenberg