business
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business
busi·ness
 (bĭz′nĭs)These nouns apply to forms of activity that have the objective of supplying products or services for a fee. Business pertains broadly to commercial, financial, and industrial activity, and more narrowly to specific fields or firms engaging in this activity: a company that does business over the internet; went into the software consulting business; owns a dry-cleaning business. Industry entails the production and manufacture of goods or commodities, especially on a large scale: the computer industry. Commerce and trade refer to the exchange and distribution of goods or commodities: laws regulating interstate commerce; involved in the domestic fur trade. Traffic pertains in particular to businesses engaged in the transportation of goods or passengers: renovated the docks to attract shipping traffic. The word may also suggest illegal trade: discovered a brisk traffic in stolen goods.
business
(Ëbɪznɪs)busi•ness
(ˈbɪz nɪs)n.
Business
of flies; flies collectively.Business
See Also: ADVERTISING, SUCCESS/FAILURE
- As oxygen is the disintegrating principle of life, working night and day to dissolve, separate, pull apart and dissipate, so there is something in business that continually tends to scatter, destroy and shift possession from this man to that. A million mice nibble eternally at every business venture —Elbert Hubbard
- Business is like a man rowing a boat upstream. He has no choice; he must go ahead or he will go back —Lewis E. Pierson
- Business is like oil. It won’t mix with anything but business —J. Grahame
- Business … is very much like religion: it is founded on faith —William McFee
- Business policy flows downhill from the mountain, like water —Anon
- A business without customers is like a computer without bytes —Anon
As the entries that follow show, this concept lends itself to many additional twists.
- A business without customers is like a stage without light —Anon
- A business without orders is like a room without windows —Anon
- Buying and selling like a Rockefeller —Arthur A. Cohen
- A corporation is just like any natural person, except that it has no pants to kick or soul to damn —Ernst and Lindley
Playwrights Ernst and Lindley wrote this simile to be spoken by a judge in their 1930’s play Hold Your Tongue.
- Corporate politics is like the days of Andrew Jackson, the spoils system —Rita Mae Brown
See Also: POLITICS
- Customers drop away like tenpins —Anon
- Inventory that just sits there like it’s nailed to the floor —Anthony E. Stockanes
- Nowadays almost every business is like show business, including politics, which has become more like show business than show business is —Russell Baker
See Also: POLITICS
- Orders fell like stones —Anon
- (Being in the microcomputer business is) risky, like going 55 miles an hour three feet from a cliff. If you make the wrong turn you’re bankrupt so fast you don’t know what hit you —George Morrow, quoted in New York Times, March 11, 1986 when his company went bankrupt
See Also: DANGER
- Some businesses are like desert flowers. They bloom overnight, and they’re gone —George Morrow, quoted New York Times, March 11, 1986
The first two words are transposed from “Computer companies” to generalize the comparison.
See Also: BEGINNINGS/ENDINGS
- The tide of business, like the running stream, is sometimes high and sometimes low, a quiet ebb, or a tempestuous flow, and always in extreme —John Dryden
- Tradespeople are just like gardeners. They take advantage of your not knowing —Agatha Christie
business
Business is the work of making, buying, and selling goods or services.
Be Careful!
When you use business in this sense, don't say 'a business'. Don't say, for example, 'We've got a business to do'. You say 'We've got some business to do'.
You can talk about a particular area of business using the followed by a noun followed by business.
A business is a company, shop, or organization that makes and sells goods or provides a service.
Noun | 1. | ![]() business enterprise, commercial enterprise, business - the activity of providing goods and services involving financial and commercial and industrial aspects; "computers are now widely used in business" shipping room - a room where goods are packaged and shipped enterprise - an organization created for business ventures; "a growing enterprise must have a bold leader" agency - a business that serves other businesses brokerage - the business of a broker; charges a fee to arrange a contract between two parties common carrier, carrier - a person or firm in the business of transporting people or goods or messages chain - (business) a number of similar establishments (stores or restaurants or banks or hotels or theaters) under one ownership business firm, firm, house - the members of a business organization that owns or operates one or more establishments; "he worked for a brokerage house" dealership, franchise - a business established or operated under an authorization to sell or distribute a company's goods or services in a particular area partnership - the members of a business venture created by contract processor - a business engaged in processing agricultural products and preparing them for market shipbuilder - a business that builds and repairs ships underperformer - a business that is less successful than expected division - an administrative unit in government or business |
2. | ![]() overcapitalisation, overcapitalization - (business) too much capitalization (the sale of more stock than the business warrants) tourism, touristry - the business of providing services to tourists; "Tourism is a major business in Bermuda" operation - the activity of operating something (a machine or business etc.); "her smooth operation of the vehicle gave us a surprisingly comfortable ride" fishing - the occupation of catching fish for a living butchering, butchery - the business of a butcher storage - the commercial enterprise of storing goods and materials manufacture, industry - the organized action of making of goods and services for sale; "American industry is making increased use of computers to control production" commerce, commercialism, mercantilism - transactions (sales and purchases) having the objective of supplying commodities (goods and services) business activity, commercial activity - activity undertaken as part of a commercial enterprise business - the volume of commercial activity; "business is good today"; "show me where the business was today" field of operation, line of business, field - a particular kind of commercial enterprise; "they are outstanding in their field" market, marketplace, market place - the world of commercial activity where goods and services are bought and sold; "without competition there would be no market"; "they were driven from the marketplace" employee-owned business, employee-owned enterprise - a commercial enterprise owned by the people who work for it finance - the commercial activity of providing funds and capital discount business - the business of selling merchandise at a discount real-estate business - the business of selling real estate publicizing, advertising - the business of drawing public attention to goods and services publishing, publication - the business of issuing printed matter for sale or distribution printing - the business of producing printed material for sale or distribution packaging - the business of packing; "his business is packaging for transport" building, construction - the commercial activity involved in repairing old structures or constructing new ones; "their main business is home construction"; "workers in the building trades" venture - a commercial undertaking that risks a loss but promises a profit administration, disposal - a method of tending to or managing the affairs of a some group of people (especially the group's business affairs) establishment - a public or private structure (business or governmental or educational) including buildings and equipment for business or residence gambling den, gambling hell, gambling house, gaming house - a public building in which a variety of games of chance can be played (operated as a business) astuteness, perspicaciousness, perspicacity, shrewdness - intelligence manifested by being astute (as in business dealings) cinema, film, celluloid - a medium that disseminates moving pictures; "theater pieces transferred to celluloid"; "this story would be good cinema"; "film coverage of sporting events" business people, businesspeople - people who transact business (especially business executives) business sector, business - business concerns collectively; "Government and business could not agree" chain - (business) a number of similar establishments (stores or restaurants or banks or hotels or theaters) under one ownership business, business concern, business organisation, business organization, concern - a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it; "he bought his brother's business"; "a small mom-and-pop business"; "a racially integrated business concern" capitalist - a person who invests capital in a business (especially a large business) copartner - a joint partner (as in a business enterprise) player - an important participant (as in a business deal); "he was a major player in setting up the corporation" bankroll, roll - a roll of currency notes (often taken as the resources of a person or business etc.); "he shot his roll on a bob-tailed nag" doldrums, stagnation, stagnancy - a state of inactivity (in business or art etc); "economic growth of less than 1% per year is considered to be economic stagnation" | |
3. | ![]() activity - any specific behavior; "they avoided all recreational activity" confectionery - the occupation and skills of a confectioner sport - the occupation of athletes who compete for pay farming, land - agriculture considered as an occupation or way of life; "farming is a strenuous life"; "there's no work on the land any more" employment, work - the occupation for which you are paid; "he is looking for employment"; "a lot of people are out of work" appointment - the job to which you are (or hope to be) appointed; "he applied for an appointment in the treasury" berth, billet, post, situation, position, office, place, spot - a job in an organization; "he occupied a post in the treasury" craft, trade - the skilled practice of a practical occupation; "he learned his trade as an apprentice" profession - an occupation requiring special education (especially in the liberal arts or sciences) metier, medium - an occupation for which you are especially well suited; "in law he found his true metier" accountancy, accounting - the occupation of maintaining and auditing records and preparing financial reports for a business photography - the occupation of taking and printing photographs or making movies catering - providing food and services | |
4. | business - a rightful concern or responsibility; "it's none of your business"; "mind your own business" | |
5. | business - an immediate objective; "gossip was the main business of the evening" objective, aim, object, target - the goal intended to be attained (and which is believed to be attainable); "the sole object of her trip was to see her children" occasions - something you have to do; "he minded his own specialized occasions" | |
6. | business - the volume of commercial activity; "business is good today"; "show me where the business was today" business enterprise, commercial enterprise, business - the activity of providing goods and services involving financial and commercial and industrial aspects; "computers are now widely used in business" business activity, commercial activity - activity undertaken as part of a commercial enterprise trade, patronage - the business given to a commercial establishment by its customers; "even before noon there was a considerable patronage" land-office business - very large and profitable volume of commercial activity | |
7. | business - business concerns collectively; "Government and business could not agree" business enterprise, commercial enterprise, business - the activity of providing goods and services involving financial and commercial and industrial aspects; "computers are now widely used in business" sector - a social group that forms part of the society or the economy; "the public sector" big business - commercial enterprises organized and financed on a scale large enough to influence social and political policies; "big business is growing so powerful it is difficult to regulate it effectively" incorporate - form a corporation | |
8. | business - customers collectively; "they have an upper class clientele" people - (plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively; "old people"; "there were at least 200 people in the audience" | |
9. | ![]() |
business
"Boldness in business is the first, second, and third thing" [Thomas Fuller Gnomologia]
"The business of America is business" [Calvin Coolidge Address to the Society of Newspaper Editors]
"Dispatch is the soul of business, and nothing contributes more to Dispatch than Method" [Lord Chesterfield Letters to His Son]
"Here's the rule for bargains: `Do other men, for they would do you.' That's the true business precept" [Charles Dickens Martin Chuzzlewit]
"business before pleasure"
business
nounbusiness
[ˈbɪznɪs]business is good at the moment → el negocio va bien por el momento
business is business → los negocios son los negocios
business as usual (= general slogan) → aquà no ha pasado nada; (= notice outside shop) → "seguimos atendiendo al público durante las reformas"
business before pleasure → primero es la obligación que la devoción
to carry on business as → tener un negocio de
to do business with → negociar con
he's in business → se dedica al comercio
he's in business in London → trabaja en una empresa comercial de Londres
he's in the selling business → se dedica al comercio
now we're in business → ya caminamos
if we can find a car we're in business → si encontramos un coche empezamos a rodar
to go into business → dedicarse al comercio
the shop is losing business → la tienda está perdiendo clientela
he means business → habla en serio
I'm here on business → estoy (en viaje) de negocios
to go abroad on business → ir al extranjero en viaje de negocios
to go out of business → quebrar
to put sb out of business → hacer que algn quiebre
to set up in business as → montar un negocio de
to set sb up in business → montar un negocio a algn
to get down to business → ir al grano
what business are you in? → ¿a qué se dedica usted?
he's got the biggest laugh in the business → tiene la risa más fuerte que hay por aquÃ
to send sb about his business → echar a algn con cajas destempladas
the business before the meeting (frm) → los asuntos a tratar
I have business with the minister → tengo asuntos que tratar con el ministro
what business have you to intervene? → ¿con qué derecho interviene usted?
we're not in business to + INFIN → no tenemos por costumbre + infin
we are not in the business of subsidizing scroungers → no tenemos por costumbre costearles la vida a los gorrones
mind your own business!, none of your business! → ¡y a ti qué te importa!, ¡no te metas!
that's my business → eso es cosa mÃa
it is my business to + INFIN → me corresponde + infin
I will make it my business to tell him → yo me encargaré de decÃrselo
it's no business of mine → yo no tengo nada que ver con eso, no es cosa mÃa
you had no business doing that → no tenÃas derecho a hacerlo
they're working away like nobody's business → están trabajando como locos
it's none of his business → no es asunto suyo
any other business (on agenda) → ruegos mpl y preguntas
the Suez business → el asunto de Suez, la cuestión Suez
it's a nasty business → es un asunto feo
finding a flat can be quite a business → encontrar piso or (LAm) un departamento puede ser muy difÃcil
did you hear about that business yesterday? → ¿te contaron algo de lo que pasó ayer?
I can't stand this business of doing nothing → no puedo con este plan de no hacer nada
what a business this is! → ¡vaya lÃo!
business administration N (as course) → administración f de empresas
business agent N → agente mf de negocios
business associate N → socio/a m/f, asociado/a m/f
business card N → tarjeta f de visita
business centre, business center (US) N → centro m financiero
business class N (Aer) → clase f preferente
business college N → escuela f de administración de empresas
business consultancy N → asesorÃa f empresarial
business consultant N → asesor(a) m/f de empresas
business deal N → trato m comercial
business district N → zona f comercial
business end N (fig) [of tool, weapon] → punta f
business expenses NPL → gastos mpl (comerciales)
business hours NPL → horas fpl de oficina
business language N → lenguaje m comercial
business lunch N → comida f de negocios
business machines NPL → máquinas fpl para la empresa
business management N → dirección f empresarial
business manager N (Comm, Ind) → director(a) m/f comercial, gerente mf comercial (Theat) → secretario/a m/f
business park N → parque m industrial
business people NPL → empresarios mpl, gente f de negocios
business plan N → plan m de empresa
business practice N → práctica f empresarial
business premises NPL → local msing comercial
business school N = business college business sense N → cabeza f para los negocios
business Spanish N → español m comercial
(Faculty of) Business Studies N → (Facultad f de) Ciencias fpl Empresariales
business suit N → traje m de oficina or de calle
business trip N → viaje m de negocios
business
[ˈbɪznɪs] nto do business with sb → traiter avec qn
to lose business → perdre des clients
to go out of business → cesser ses activités
to be in business [company] → faire des affaires
it's business as usual (fig) → la vie continue
I'm here on business → Je suis là pour affaires.
to be away on business (long trip) → être en voyage d'affaires; (short trip) → être en déplacement
He's away on business for the week → Il est en voyage d'affaires pour toute la semaine.
to get down to business → passer aux choses sérieuses
to mean business → être sérieux/euse
He means business → Il ne plaisante pas., Il est sérieux.
He's in the insurance business → Il est dans les assurances., Il est dans le secteur des assurances.
in the hotel business → dans l'hôtellerie or dans le secteur de l'hôtellerie
I'm not in the business of ... (fig) → mon but n'est pas de ...
it's none of my business → cela ne me regarde pas
mind your own business → mêlez-vous de vos affaires, mêlez-vous de ce qui vous regarde
that's my business → c'est mon affaire
to have no business doing sth (= right) → n'avoir aucun droit de faire qch
I had no business being there at all → Je n'avais aucun droit d'être là .
to make it one's business to do sth → se charger de faire qch
business
business
:business
:business
[ˈbɪznɪs]selling books is her business → di mestiere vende libri
he's in the insurance business → lavora nel campo delle assicurazioni
he's in the wool business → è nel commercio della lana
I'm here on business → sono qui per affari
to be away on business → essere via per affari
to do business with sb → fare affari con qn
let's get down to business (fam) → bando alle chiacchiere
business is business → gli affari sono affari
now we're in business! → ci siamo!
she means business → fa sul serio, non scherza
to set up a business → metter su un'impresa
it's a family business → è un'impresa familiare
to make it one's business to do sth → incaricarsi di fare qc
that's none of your business → non sono affari tuoi, non ti riguarda
that's my business → (è) affar mio, (sono) affari miei
it's his business to see that ... → spetta a lui accertarsi che...
you had no business to do that → non stava a te farlo
mind your own business → bada ai fatti tuoi, non t'impicciare
business
(Ëbiznis) nounbusiness
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