Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for business

business

[ biz-nis ]

noun

  1. an occupation, profession, or trade:

    His business is poultry farming.

    Synonyms: employment, vocation, calling

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

    Synonyms: traffic, trade, commerce

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

    Synonyms: firm, company

  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:

    Words 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 piece of 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.
  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

/ ˈbɪznɪs /

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. informal.
    a vaguely defined collection or area

    jets, fast cars, and all that business

  14. Also calledstage business theatre an incidental action, such as lighting a pipe, performed by an actor for dramatic effect
  15. a group of ferrets
  16. euphemistic.
    defecation (esp in the phrase do one's business )
  17. slang.
    prostitution
  18. like nobody's business informal.
    extremely well or fast
  19. mean business
    to be in earnest
  20. do the business informal.
    to achieve what is required

    it tastes vile, but it does the business

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Discover More

Pronunciation Note

See isn't.
Discover More

Other Words From

  • 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
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of business1

First recorded before 950; Middle English; Old English bisignes; busy + -ness
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of business1

Old English bisignis solicitude, attentiveness, from bisig busy + -nis -ness
Discover More

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

    housebreaking a puppy to do his business outdoors.

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

    They finally got down to business and signed the contract.

  4. give someone the business, Informal.
    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.

  5. have no business, to have no right:

    You have no business coming into this house.

  6. 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.

  7. 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.

More idioms and phrases containing business

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 .
Discover More

Synonym Study

Discover More

Example Sentences

But tensions over the business of blue zones have shattered the original collaboration.

“A business is an operation to make money and to expand. And to expand, you have to find more blue zones,” says Anthony Medford, a demographer at the University of Southern Denmark.

And as the idea has transformed from an obscure finding in the demography literature to a massive business venture, a once-productive collaboration between its originators has turned sour.

They’ve also spurred a profitable business empire: one that’s produced books, diets, a multimillion-dollar company, and a Netflix series—all aimed at imparting at least some of those secrets to an eager audience.

"Stacey and Gavin are looking for new ways to spice up their 17-year marriage and Gwen is behaving most strangely. Nessa's started a new business venture and Neil the baby's about to begin an apprenticeship with his dad."

From BBC

Advertisement

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

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

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


busilybusiness administration