business
♦♦♦ busi|ness /b'ɪznɪs/ (businesses)
1 [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.
= company, firm
4 [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.
= affair, concern
9 [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.
= affair
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.
= affair
11
see also big business, show business
12 [PHRASE] 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] 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.
19 [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.big busi|ness
1 [N-UNCOUNT]
Big business is business which involves very large companies and very large sums of money.
Big business will never let petty nationalism get in the way of a good deal.
2 [N-UNCOUNT]
Something that is big business is something which people spend a lot of money on, and which has become an important commercial activity.
Sport has become big business.busi|ness an|gel (business angels)
[N-COUNT]
A business angel is a person who gives financial support to a commercial venture and receives a share of any profits from it, but who does not expect to be involved in its management.busi|ness card (business cards)
[N-COUNT] oft poss N
A person's business card or their card is a small card which they give to other people, and which has their name and details of their job and company printed on it.busi|ness class
[ADJ] ADJ n
Business class seating on an aeroplane costs less than first class but more than economy class.
You can pay to be upgraded to a business class seat.
[ADV] ADV after v
Business class is also an adverb.
They flew business class.
[N-UNCOUNT]
Business class is the business class seating on an aeroplane.
The Australian team will be seated in business class.busi|ness end
[N-SING] usu N of n
The business end of a tool or weapon is the end of it which does the work or causes damage rather than the end that you hold. (INFORMAL)
...the business end of a vacuum cleaner.busi|ness hours
[N-PLURAL]
Business hours are the hours of the day in which a shop or a company is open for business.
All showrooms are staffed during business hours.busi|ness per|son (business people)
[N-COUNT]
Business people are people who work in business.
...a self-employed business person.busi|ness plan (business plans)
[N-COUNT]
A business plan is a detailed plan for setting up or developing a business, especially one that is written in order to borrow money.
She learned how to write a business plan for the catering business she wanted to launch.busi|ness school (business schools)
[N-COUNT]
A business school is a school or college which teaches business subjects such as economics and management.show busi|ness
[N-UNCOUNT]
Show business is the entertainment industry of film, theatre, and television.
He started his career in show business by playing the saxophone and singing.
1 [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.
= company, firm
4 [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.
= affair, concern
9 [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.
= affair
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.
= affair
11
see also big business, show business
12 [PHRASE] 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] 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.
19 [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.big busi|ness
1 [N-UNCOUNT]
Big business is business which involves very large companies and very large sums of money.
Big business will never let petty nationalism get in the way of a good deal.
2 [N-UNCOUNT]
Something that is big business is something which people spend a lot of money on, and which has become an important commercial activity.
Sport has become big business.busi|ness an|gel (business angels)
[N-COUNT]
A business angel is a person who gives financial support to a commercial venture and receives a share of any profits from it, but who does not expect to be involved in its management.busi|ness card (business cards)
[N-COUNT] oft poss N
A person's business card or their card is a small card which they give to other people, and which has their name and details of their job and company printed on it.busi|ness class
[ADJ] ADJ n
Business class seating on an aeroplane costs less than first class but more than economy class.
You can pay to be upgraded to a business class seat.
[ADV] ADV after v
Business class is also an adverb.
They flew business class.
[N-UNCOUNT]
Business class is the business class seating on an aeroplane.
The Australian team will be seated in business class.busi|ness end
[N-SING] usu N of n
The business end of a tool or weapon is the end of it which does the work or causes damage rather than the end that you hold. (INFORMAL)
...the business end of a vacuum cleaner.busi|ness hours
[N-PLURAL]
Business hours are the hours of the day in which a shop or a company is open for business.
All showrooms are staffed during business hours.busi|ness per|son (business people)
[N-COUNT]
Business people are people who work in business.
...a self-employed business person.busi|ness plan (business plans)
[N-COUNT]
A business plan is a detailed plan for setting up or developing a business, especially one that is written in order to borrow money.
She learned how to write a business plan for the catering business she wanted to launch.busi|ness school (business schools)
[N-COUNT]
A business school is a school or college which teaches business subjects such as economics and management.show busi|ness
[N-UNCOUNT]
Show business is the entertainment industry of film, theatre, and television.
He started his career in show business by playing the saxophone and singing.