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business

US //ˈbɪznəs// UK //bˈɪznəs// busi·ness
  1. 1 a company (n.)
    A1 Beginner

    an organization or shop that makes, buys, or sells things for money.

    a specific commercial enterprise or establishment. Countable in this sense.

    Example

    My uncle started a small business selling handmade furniture last year.

    Example

    The family-owned business managed to survive the economic downturn by pivoting to online sales and reducing overhead costs.
  2. 2 commercial activity (n.)
    A2 Elementary Business

    the activity of buying and selling goods and services.

    commercial, industrial, or professional activity in general. Uncountable in this sense.

    Example

    It is difficult to do business in a country with very strict laws.

    Example

    The chamber of commerce aims to promote local business by hosting networking events and providing grants to startups.
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  1. 3 personal concern (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    something that involves you personally and is not for other people to worry about.

    matters that concern a specific person; one's private affairs or responsibility.

    Example

    What I do in my free time is my own business.

    Example

    He politely informed the nosy neighbor that his financial situation was none of her business.
  2. 4 work or task (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    the work that you do as your job, or a specific task you must finish.

    a person's occupation, trade, or a specific matter requiring attention.

    Example

    She is away in New York on business for two weeks.

    Example

    The committee moved quickly through the agenda to address the most urgent business before the lunch break.
  3. 5 travel class (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Travel

    a comfortable part of a plane or train for people traveling for work.

    a class of seating on an aircraft or train between first class and economy.

    Example

    The company paid for him to fly business so he could sleep.

    Example

    Upgrading to business allowed the executive to arrive refreshed and ready for the morning negotiations.
  4. 6 acting movement (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Theatre

    small actions an actor does on stage, like pouring a drink.

    actions or gestures performed by an actor to add detail to a scene without using dialogue.

    Example

    The director added some business with a newspaper to make the scene natural.

    Example

    The actor's subtle business with his spectacles conveyed a sense of nervous hesitation that the script alone lacked.
  5. 7 animal waste (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

    a polite way to talk about an animal going to the toilet.

    a euphemism for the act of defecation or the excrement itself, typically regarding pets.

    Example

    Make sure you clean up after your dog does his business in the park.

    Example

    The puppy was finally trained to do its business outside on the grass rather than on the carpet.
  6. 8 the best (n.)
    C2 Proficiency British English Slang

    something that is very good or excellent.

    an entity or event of superior quality or excellence.

    Example

    That new burger place is the business.

    Example

    The sound system they installed for the festival was absolutely the business, providing crystal-clear audio even at the back of the field.
  7. 9 professional (adj.)
    A2 Elementary

    related to work or serious professional activity.

    pertaining to or used for the purposes of conducting trade or professional governance.

    Example

    You should wear business clothes for your interview tomorrow.

    Example

    The hotel offers a business center equipped with high-speed internet and printing facilities for traveling professionals.
Origin

From Middle English busines, busynes, businesse, bisynes, from Old English bisiġnes (“business, busyness”), equivalent to busy + -ness. Doublet of busyness. Sense 17 (something very good, top quality), possibly derives from "the bee's knees"

Idioms17 entries

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