51³Ō¹Ļ

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View synonyms for

business

[biz-nis]

noun

  1. an occupation, profession, or trade.

    His business is poultry farming.

    Synonyms: , ,
  2. the purchase and sale of goods in an attempt to make a profit.

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

    Synonyms: ,
  4. volume of trade; patronage.

    Most of the store's business comes from local families.

  5. 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.

  6. that with which a person is principally and seriously concerned.

    51³Ō¹Ļs are a writer's business.

  7. something with which a person is rightfully concerned.

    What they are doing is none of my business.

  8. affair; project.

    We were exasperated by the whole business.

  9. an assignment or task; chore.

    It's your business to wash the dishes now.

  10. Also called stage business.ĢżAlso called piece of business,.ĢżTheater.Ģża 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.

  11. excrement: used as a euphemism.



adjective

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

  2. containing, suitable for, or welcoming business or commerce.

    New York is a good business town.

business

/ ˈ²śÉŖ³ś²ŌÉŖ²õ /

noun

  1. a trade or profession

  2. an industrial, commercial, or professional operation; purchase and sale of goods and services

    the tailoring business

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

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

  5. volume or quantity of commercial activity

    business is poor today

  6. commercial policy or procedure

    overcharging is bad business

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

  8. a special task; assignment

  9. a matter or matters to be attended to

    the business of the meeting

  10. an affair; matter

    a queer business

    I'm tired of the whole business

  11. serious work or activity

    get down to business

  12. a complicated affair; rigmarole

  13. informalĢża vaguely defined collection or area

    jets, fast cars, and all that business

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

  15. a group of ferrets

  16. euphemisticĢżdefecation (esp in the phrase do one's business )

  17. slangĢżprostitution

  18. informalĢżextremely well or fast

  19. to be in earnest

  20. informalĢżto achieve what is required

    it tastes vile, but it does the business

ā€œCollins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridgedā€ 2012 Digital Edition Ā© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 Ā© HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Pronunciation Note

See isn't.
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Other 51³Ō¹Ļ Forms

  • antibusiness adjective
  • interbusiness adjective
  • multibusiness adjective
  • nonbusiness adjective
  • overbusiness noun
  • probusiness adjective
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51³Ō¹Ļ History and Origins

Origin of business1

First recorded before 950; Middle English; Old English bisignes; busy + -ness
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51³Ō¹Ļ History and Origins

Origin of business1

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

Idioms
  1. business is business, profit has precedence over personal considerations.

    He is reluctant to fire his friend, but business is business.

  2. have no business, to have no right.

    You have no business coming into this house.

  3. 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.

  4. do one's business, (usually of an animal or child) to defecate or urinate.

    housebreaking a puppy to do his business outdoors.

  5. 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.

  6. get down to business, to apply oneself to serious matters; concentrate on work.

    They finally got down to business and signed the contract.

  7. give someone the business,

    1. to make difficulties for someone; treat harshly.

      Instead of a straight answer they give him the business with a needless run-around.

    2. to scold severely; give a tongue-lashing to.

      The passengers will give the bus driver the business if he keeps driving so recklessly.

In addition to the idiom beginning with business, 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.
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Synonym Study

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

But PSG is also a business, one that has to profit off its success.

From

It is the kind of patient investment only a family business can afford.

From

But when it comes to obsessions, business investment has got to be close.

From

The ban was originally meant to be in place by 2021 but was delayed because of the Covid pandemic and concerns that businesses were not ready.

From

He said the UK economy needed to be "much stronger" to cope with the challenges it is now facing, adding that the government had made the wrong choices by increasing taxes on business.

From

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When To Use

What does business mean?

Business is the sale of goods or services to try to make a profit, as in Restaurants are a tough business, with many restaurants closing in the first few years.Business is also used to refer to any person or group of people that operate with the purpose of making money, as in Yen and Tao went into business walking the dogs in their neighborhood.Business is also used to refer to the sales and money brought in by a business, as in Even though we had a lot of visitors to the store, business was slow over the weekend.Business has many other senses related to work and trade, but it can also refer to someone’s personal concern or interest. Your feelings, for example, are your own business.Business can also be used as an adjective to describe anything related to the workings of a profession or exchange of money, as in The business office is closed on weekends, but the store is usually open.Example: Some small businesses make more money in this town than the chains do.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Ā© Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American HeritageĀ® Idioms Dictionary copyright Ā© 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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busilybusiness administration