- business
- [[t]bɪ̱znɪs[/t]]
♦businesses1) N-UNCOUNT Business is work relating to the production, buying, and selling of goods or services.
...young people seeking a career in business...
Jennifer has an impressive academic and business background.
...Harvard Business School.
2) N-UNCOUNT Business is used when talking about how many products or services a company is able to sell. If business is good, a lot of products or services are being sold and if business is bad, few of them are being sold.They worried that German companies would lose business...
Business is booming.
3) N-COUNT A business is an organization which produces and sells goods or which provides a service.The company was a family business...
The majority of small businesses go broke within the first twenty-four months...
He was short of cash after the collapse of his business.
Syn:company, firm4) N-UNCOUNT: oft on N Business is work or some other activity that you do as part of your job and not for pleasure.I'm here on business...
You can't mix business with pleasure.
...business trips.
5) N-SING: oft supp N You can use business to refer to a particular area of work or activity in which the aim is to make a profit.May I ask you what business you're in?
...the music business.
6) N-SING: with supp You can use business to refer to something that you are doing or concerning yourself with....recording Ben as he goes about his business...
There was nothing left for the teams to do but get on with the business of racing.
7) N-UNCOUNT You can use business to refer to important matters that you have to deal with.The most important business was left to the last...
I've got some unfinished business to attend to.
8) N-UNCOUNT: with poss If you say that something is your business, you mean that it concerns you personally and that other people have no right to ask questions about it or disagree with it.My sex life is my business...
If she doesn't want the police involved, that's her business...
It's not our business.
Syn:affair, concern9) N-SING: supp N You can use business to refer in a general way to an event, situation, or activity. For example, you can say something is `a wretched business' or you can refer to `this assassination business'.We have sorted out this wretched business at last...
This whole business is very puzzling.
Syn:10) N-SING: supp N You can use business when describing a task that is unpleasant in some way. For example, if you say that doing something is a costly business, you mean that it costs a lot. [INFORMAL]Coastal defence is a costly business...
Parenting can be a stressful business.
Syn:11) → See also , show business12) PHR-RECIP: V inflects, PHR with n, pl-n PHR If two people or companies do business with each other, one sells goods or services to the other.I was fascinated by the different people who did business with me.
13) PHRASE: V inflects, PHR to-inf, PHR -ing If you say that someone has no business to be in a place or to do something, you mean that they have no right to be there or to do it.Really I had no business to be there at all.
14) PHRASE: v-link PHR A company that is in business is operating and trading.You can't stay in business without cash.
15) PHRASE: V inflects, v-link PHR If you say you are in business, you mean you have everything you need to start something immediately. [INFORMAL, SPOKEN]All you need is a microphone, and you're in business.
16) PHRASE: V inflects If you say that someone means business, you mean they are serious and determined about what they are doing. [INFORMAL]Now people are starting to realise that he means business.
17) PHRASE If you say to someone `mind your own business' or `it's none of your business', you are rudely telling them not to ask about something that does not concern them. [INFORMAL]I asked Laura what was wrong and she told me to mind my own business.
18) PHRASE: V inflects, PHR to-inf If you make it your business to do something, you decide to do it, because you are interested in it or because you want to find out something.She made it her business to find out.
19) PHRASE: V inflects, PHR -ing/n (emphasis) If you say that you are not in the business of doing something, you are emphasizing that you do not do it, usually when you are annoyed or surprised that someone thinks you do.We are not in the business of subsidising scroungers.
20) PHRASE: PHR after v If a shop or company goes out of business or is put out of business, it has to stop trading because it is not making enough money.Thousands of firms could go out of business.
21) PHRASE: v-link PHR (approval) If you say that someone or something is the business, you mean that they are the best of their kind. [INFORMAL]When you watch him in training, you realise that this lad is the business.
22) PHRASE: usu v-link PHR In a difficult situation, if you say it is business as usual, you mean that people will continue doing what they normally do.The Queen was determined to show it was business as usual.
English dictionary. 2008.
