- business
- /'bIznis/ noun
WORK DONE BY COMPANIES
1 (U) the activity of buying or selling goods or services that is done by companies: Students on the course learn about all aspects of business. | in business: Most of my family are in business. | do business with: We do a lot of business with Italian companies. | the business community (=important people who work in business): The policy is backed by the international business community.2 be in business/go into business to be operating as a company or to begin operating as a company: Pam's going into business with her sister.3 go out of business to stop operating as a company: Higher interest rates will drive smaller firms out of business.4 AMOUNT OF COMPANY WORK (U) the amount of work a company is doing or its value: We're now doing twice as much business as we did last year. | business is good/bad/slow etc: Business is slow during the summer. | drum up business (=increase it): Sidney's doing the rounds of the customers, trying to drum up business.5 NOT PLEASURE (U) work that you do as part of your job: on business: Chris is in London this week, on business. | business trip/lunch/meeting etc: I try to avoid too many business lunches.6 business is business used to say that profit is the most important thing to consider: Harry may be a friend but business is business, and he's not the best man for the job.COMPANY7 (C) an organization such as a shop or factory which produces or sells goods or services: Paul's decided to start his own business. | run a business: Mrs Taylor runs an office equipment business.8 the advertising/printing/shipping etc business work or a job involved with advertising, printing etc: Steve works in the movie business.SUBJECT9 SUBJECT/EVENT (singular) a subject, event, or activity that you have a particular opinion of: Politics is a serious business. | Tanya found the whole business ridiculous.10 STH UNCLEAR (U) used when you talk about something in general and do not give any details: He handles the mail and all that business.STH THAT CONCERNS YOU11 none of your business spoken not something that you have a right to know about: I know it's none of my business, but what did you decide? | It's none of your business how much I weigh.12 mind your own businessa) spoken used to tell someone that something is private and you do not want them to ask about it or know about it: "Where did you go last night?" "Mind your own business!"b) to do your normal activities, without showing any interest in what other people are doing: I was driving along, minding my own business, when the police pulled me over.13 not your business not something that you are responsible for or that affects you14 your/sb's business something that affects you but not other people, so other people have no right to know about it: "Are you going out with Kate tonight?" "That's my business".15 make it your business to do sth to make a special effort to do something: Ruth made it her business to get to know the customers.WORK TO BE DONE16 (U) work that must be done in a particular job or period of time: We discussed this week's business.(+ of): the routine business of government17 get down to business to start dealing with an important subject: We'd better stop chatting and get down to business.18 business as usual used to tell you that a shop or business is working normally when you might think it was closed19 any other business subjects to be discussed in a meeting after the main subjects have been dealt withOTHER MEANINGS20 be in business informal to have all that you need to start doing something: Gillian brought the food, Jack the wine and I had some rugs to sit on, so we were in business.21 mean business informal to be determined to do something even if it involves harming someone or making them upset: I could tell from the look on his face that he meant business.22 go about your business to do the things that you normally do: ordinary people going about their business23 have no business doing sth/have no business to do sth to behave wrongly in doing something: He was very drunk and had no business driving.24 like nobody's business spoken very well, very much, or very fast: Wanda can play the piano like nobody's business.25 not in the business of doing sth not planning to do something, because it is thought to be wrong: This government is not in the business of increasing public spending.26 (it's) the business BrE slang used to say that something is very good or works well: Have you seen David's new car? It's the business.-see also: big business, funny business funny (3) monkey business monkey 1 (3), show business
Longman dictionary of contemporary English. 2004.