BUSINESS


Meaning of BUSINESS in English

ˈbiznə̇s, -nə̇z, rapid or substand ˈbidnə̇- or ˈbinə̇-; sometimes ÷ ˈbiz ə nə̇- noun

( -es )

Usage: often attributive

Etymology: Middle English bisinesse, from bisy busy + -nesse -ness

1.

a.

(1) archaic : purposeful activity : activity directed toward some end

the greatest master of parliamentary tactics and political business in his generation — Walter Bagehot

(2) : an activity engaged in as normal, logical, or inevitable and usually extending over a considerable period of time : role , function

formal study is the primary business of a college student

how the human mind went about its business of learning — H.A.Overstreet

(3) : an activity engaged in toward an immediate specific end and usually extending over a limited period of time : task , chore , mission , assignment

what is your business here at this hour

a mob of a thousand people may lynch a Negro on the slightest provocation and apparently enjoy the dirty business — C.C.Furnas

this knife will do the business

b.

(1) : a usually commercial or mercantile activity customarily engaged in as a means of livelihood and typically involving some independence of judgment and power of decision

the business of a printer being generally thought a poor one — Benjamin Franklin

and sometimes contrasted with the arts

but in a sick world it is not literature, it becomes simply the writing business — Francis Hackett

or professions

there was none … who did more to raise it from the dull routine of a business to something approaching a profession — R.R.Rowe

or sport

hunting and fishing were favorite pastimes but the abundance of game and its use as food made these amusements less sport than business or slaughter — American Guide Series: North Carolina

or other activity considered less practical, serious, respectable, or mundane

he changed the processing and marketing of petroleum from a gamble to a business — Marquis James

the way therefore to avoid public comment is to avoid the speech of affection and to use that of business — R.M.Weaver

: occupation , position , trade , line

(2) : a commercial or industrial enterprise

he's in business for himself

he sold out his business

collectively : such enterprises

the city is a business center

business does not act as a unit

(3) : a place where such an enterprise is carried on

the explosion broke windows in businesses several blocks away

(4) : transactions, dealings, or intercourse of any nature

they were far away from the Zidonians and had no business with any man — Judg 18:7 (Authorized Version)

but now especially economic (as buying and selling)

business as usual

you can't do business with that heel

the company did more business than ever

especially : patronage

how's business

I'll take my business somewhere else

(5) : the procedures and techniques of such enterprises

a strong business sense

he supervised the manufacturing while his brother handled the business

c. : serious activity that requires time and effort and usually the avoidance of distracting influences

she got down to business and finished all of the letters in less than an hour

: job , duty , work

business before pleasure

she means business

d. : a particular field of endeavor

the best comedian in the business

that jockey really knows his business

2.

a. : affair , matter

the business of people being able to feed themselves is fundamentally … a local matter — S.A.Cain

I'm sick of this stupid business

b. : a difficult or complicated matter : project

getting her down the mountain next day was a business — Time

3. : something that is so put together as to be not easily classified or felt not worth classification:

a. : concoction , creation

one of the slinky printed cotton dresses here, a halter neck business — New Yorker

b. : device , gadget

assistant laundressing is another merry game. Instead of a washboard they use a patent business — Sinclair Lewis

4.

a. : a movement or action (as sitting down, lighting a cigarette, or winding a clock) by an actor intended especially to establish atmosphere, reveal character, or explain a situation

stage business is often written into the script by the playwright … but just as often it is introduced by the director — F.H.O'Hara & Margueritte Bro

b. : all such movements and acting especially in the performance of one dramatic work or the portrayal of one dramatic role

generally speaking the composer and original producer have conferred during the first rehearsals of a new opera and the stage business has therefore become a tradition … altered by successive producers and artists — Warwick Braithwaite

5.

a. : something felt to be one's particular concern or responsibility

none of your business

told him to mind his own business

b. : something felt to be one's right — usually used in the negative

you had no business hitting her

6. : everything possible (as all-out effort) applied toward a desired end or enough of something (as trickery) to bring it about : works: as

a. : all that one is capable of : utmost effort

I wish you'd give it the old business today. One of the big shots is coming through — Mary J. Ward

b. : harm , injury , damage , abuse ; especially : something that disables or destroys

that quarterback really got the business . They carried him off on a stretcher

c. : a setback or rebuke usually deserved : comeuppance

he thought he was the hero of the outfit until the sarge gave him the business

d. : a good tongue-lashing : a hard time

a witness has given him the business such as I've never heard a senator take before — F.C.Othman

e. : double cross

he's been giving his partner the business for years

f. : a bowel movement

Synonyms: see work

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.