business
noun
/ˈbɪznəs/
trade
It's been a pleasure to do business with you.
There will be some changes to the way we conduct business.
in business
She has set up in business as a hairdresser.
When he left school, he went into business with his brother.
the music/entertainment/movie business
the insurance/banking business
the food/restaurant/hotel business
Retail is a tough business.
in the… business
She works in the software business.
We need to concentrate on our core business (= the main thing that our business does).
business owners/leaders
a business partner
the business community
business opportunities/interests/ventures
the business cycle/sector/world
Collocations
adjective
verb + business
business + noun
preposition
in business
on business
phrases
business as usual
business or pleasure
mix business with pleasure
work
Is the trip to Rome for business or pleasure?
a business trip/meeting/lunch
business travel/travellers
on business
He's away on business.
adjective
verb + business
get on withgo about
make something…
phrases
have no business doing something
have no business to do something
keep your nose out of somebody’s business
3 uncountable the amount of work done by a company, etc.; the rate or quality of this work Business is booming.
Business was bad.
Her job was to drum up (= increase) business.
How's business?
Uncertainty is bad for business.
to be good for business
If we close down for repairs, we’ll lose business.
company
4 countable a commercial organization such as a company, shop or factory an organization that represents small businesses
She works in the family business.
We try to support local businesses.
a successful/profitable business
a retail/an online business
to run/start a business
to grow/expand/build a business
He wanted to expand the export side of the business.
We're looking for new business premises.
responsibility
5 uncountable something that a particular person or organization is responsible for It is the business of the police to protect the community.
I shall make it my business to find out who is responsible.
My private life is none of your business (= not something that you need to know about).
It's no business of hers who I invite to the party.
Keep your nose out of my business!
Collocations
adjective
verb + business
get on withgo about
make something…
phrases
have no business doing something
have no business to do something
keep your nose out of somebody’s business
important matters
6 uncountable important matters that need to be dealt with or discussed He has some unfinished business to deal with.
the main business of the meeting
business of doing something
They should leave the business of making policy to the experts.
Collocations
adjective
verb + business
get down to
deal withdiscuss…
phrases
any other business
mean business
event
7 singular (usually with an adjective) a matter, an event or a situation That plane crash was a terrible business.
I found the whole business very depressing.
The business of the missing tickets hasn't been sorted out.
Collocations
adjective
being a customer
8 (especially North American English) (also British English, formal custom) uncountable the fact of a person or people buying goods or services at a shop or business We're grateful for your business.
Idioms
Word Origin
Old English bisignis ‘anxiety’ (see busy, -ness); the sense ‘state of being busy’ was used from Middle English down to the 18th cent., 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.