Subscriber login


Forgot your password?

Library card login

Other

business

Pronunciation: /ˈbɪznɪs/

Translate business | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of business

noun

[mass noun]
  • 1a person’s regular occupation, profession, or trade:experts who typically conduct their business over the Internet
  • an activity that someone is engaged in:what is your business here?
  • a person’s concern:this is none of your business the neighbours make it their business to know all about you
  • work that has to be done or matters that have to be attended to:government business let’s get down to business
  • 2commercial activity:firms who want to do business with Japan the tea business [as modifier]:the business community
  • trade considered in terms of its volume or profitability:how’s business? the banks are continuing to lose business
  • [count noun] a commercial house or firm:a catering business
  • 3 [in singular] informal a situation or series of events, typically a scandalous or discreditable one:maybe something positive will come out of the whole awful business
  • a difficult matter:what a business!
  • 4 Theatre actions on stage other than dialogue.
  • 5 (the business) British informal a very enjoyable or popular person or thing:this brandy is the business

Phrases

business as usual

an ongoing and unchanging state of affairs despite difficulties or disturbances:apart from being under new management, it’s business as usual in the department

do the business

British informal
do what is required or achieve the desired result:Rogers has got to do the business, score a hat trick or something
vulgar slang have sexual intercourse.

have no business

have no right to do something:he had no business tampering with social services

in business

operating, especially in commerce:they will have to import from overseas to remain in business
informal able to begin operations:if you’ll contact the right people, I should think we’re in business

in the business of

engaged in or prepared to engage in:I am not in the business of making accusations

like nobody's business

informal, chiefly British to an extraordinarily high degree or standard:these weeds spread like nobody’s business

mind one's own business

refrain from meddling in other people’s affairs.

send someone about their business

dated tell someone to go away.

Origin:

Old English bisignis 'anxiety' (see busy, -ness); the sense 'state of being busy' was used from Middle English down to the 18th century, but is now differentiated as busyness. The use 'appointed task' dates from late Middle English, and from it all the other current senses have developed

Spelling help

Remember that business begins with busi-.

business in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of business in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

  |  Cite

Word of the day

merrythought

/ /
noun
the wishbone of a bird …