Idiom
business end
Meaning
The part of an object (chiefly a tool or weapon) that is physically used for its operation, rather than some other part such as the part by which it is held.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“Always hold the hammer by the handle, not the business end.”
“Keep your fingers away from the business end of the stapler.”
“Be careful when you pick up the chainsaw, as the business end is extremely sharp.”
“You should never point the business end of a garden hose at someone unless you want to get them completely soaked.”
“The chef reminded the new assistant that the business end of the knife must always face down toward the cutting board.”
“The technician carefully adjusted the laser, ensuring that the business end was perfectly aligned with the target to avoid any damage to the surrounding equipment.”
Examples
simple
“Always hold the hammer by the handle, not the business end.”
“Keep your fingers away from the business end of the stapler.”
contextual
“Be careful when you pick up the chainsaw, as the business end is extremely sharp.”
“You should never point the business end of a garden hose at someone unless you want to get them completely soaked.”
“The chef reminded the new assistant that the business end of the knife must always face down toward the cutting board.”
complex
“The technician carefully adjusted the laser, ensuring that the business end was perfectly aligned with the target to avoid any damage to the surrounding equipment.”
Origin
From business + end, a compound of two nouns first recorded in the late 19th century. The term appeared in American English as a designation for the functional or active part of a tool or weapon, distinguishing the area that performs the work from the end held by the operator.
Key words
Related idioms
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