business
noun /ˈbɪznəs/
/ˈbɪznəs/
Idioms - [uncountable, singular] the activity of making, buying, selling or supplying goods or services for money synonym commerce, trade
- It's been a pleasure to do business with you.
- There will be some changes to the way we conduct business.
- in business She has set up in business as a hairdresser.
- When he left school, he went into business with his brother.
- the music/entertainment/movie business
- the insurance/banking business
- the food/restaurant/hotel business
- Retail is a tough business.
- in the… business She works in the software business.
- We need to concentrate on our core business (= the main thing that our business does).
- business owners/leaders
- a business partner
- the business community
- business opportunities/interests/ventures
- the business cycle/sector/world
Wordfindersee also agribusiness, big business, e-business, show business- boom
- business
- commerce
- embargo
- import
- market
- monopoly
- sanction
- tariff
- trade
Culture the Citythe CityThe business and financial centre of London is called the City or the City of London. It covers an area in east central London north of the River Thames, between Blackfriars Bridge and Tower Bridge. It is only about one square mile/2.5 square kilometres in size and is often referred to as the Square Mile.Many financial institutions have their head offices in the City, including the Bank of England in Threadneedle Street, the London Stock Exchange in Paternoster Square and Lloyd's of London in Lime Street. Many banks, insurance companies and stockbrokers (= companies that buy and sell shares for others) have been in the City many years. When journalists talk about ‘the City’ they are usually not referring to the place but to the people involved in business and commerce, as in: The City had been expecting poor results from the company. The financial businesses and organizations that are based further east, from the Square Mile, in the area known as Canary Wharf are also included in this extended use of the term ‘the City’.In the City old and new buildings stand next to each other. The most famous older buildings include St Paul's Cathedral, the Guildhall and the Mansion House, where the Lord Mayor of London lives. Tower 42, which is 600 feet/183 metres high, and 30 St Mary Axe, nicknamed ‘the Gherkin ’, are two of the City's more recent landmarks. The Shard, on the south side of the Thames, was opened in 2013 and is currently the tallest building in the UK. The Barbican Centre includes an art gallery, a theatre and a concert hall, as well as flats.Few people live in the City and at night the population is about 7 000. During the day it rises to about half a million, as business people commute (= travel from home to work) to the City by car, bus and train. In the past the traditional image of the City gent was of a businessman in a dark suit and bowler hat, carrying a briefcase (= a leather case for papers, etc.) and a newspaper or an umbrella. The expression She's something in the City means ‘She has an important job with a bank or firm of stockbrokers’, and suggests wealth and high social status.Extra Examples- He argues that tax cuts will help business.
- He spent his whole life in the insurance business.
- He wore a business suit.
- He's someone I can do business with.
- I'm not going to talk business tonight.
- It was purely a business decision.
- It's good business practice to listen to your customers.
- It's time to focus on the company's core business.
- Nobody understands the music business better than him.
- They developed a lasting business relationship.
- We're not trying to educate—we're in the entertainment business.
- What business are you in?
- a conference of women business leaders
- the city's main business district
- to protect business secrets
- Falling prices are wreaking havoc in the oil business.
- Going to trade fairs is a good way of developing business contacts.
- She has business interests all over the world.
- a business investment
- They were both in the same line of business.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- big
- profitable
- private
- …
- carry on
- conduct
- do
- …
- deal
- transaction
- opportunity
- …
- in business
- on business
- business as usual
- business or pleasure
- mix business with pleasure
- …
- [uncountable] work that is part of your job
- Is the trip to Rome for business or pleasure?
- a business trip/meeting/lunch
- business travel/travellers
- on business He's away on business.
Extra ExamplesTopics Working lifea1- The average business trip lasts 2.5 days.
- When I travel abroad I like to mix business with pleasure.
- It was not his habit to discuss his business affairs with strangers.
- I'm going to Paris on business.
- Meals are considered a business expense.
- The restaurant is every executive's favourite place for a business lunch.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- daily
- real
- get on with
- go about
- make something
- …
- have no business doing something
- have no business to do something
- keep your nose out of somebody’s business
- …
- [uncountable] the amount of work done by a company, etc.; the rate or quality of this work
- Business is booming.
- Business was bad.
- Her job was to drum up (= increase) business.
- How's business?
- Uncertainty is bad for business.
- to be good for business
- If we close down for repairs, we’ll lose business.
Extra Examples- After a slack period business is now picking up.
- Business has slowed considerably in recent months.
- Business is booming for estate agents in the south as the property market hots up.
- Business is booming for the big pharmaceutical companies.
- Business was brisk and they had sold out by midday.
- Cheap imports are hurting business for domestic producers.
- insurance salesmen touting for business
- Stores are doing brisk business in wizard accessories and vampire kits.
- They're doing good business in Asia.
- She's in Europe drumming up business for her new company.
- Supermarkets are doing more online business.
- a company that has ceased to carry on business
- We took on temporary staff to handle the extra business.
- They've cut their rates to attract new business.
- We're losing business to our main rivals.
- Our repeat business (= customers who come back to buy from us again) is 50% or higher.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- brisk
- good
- bad
- …
- do
- attract
- drum up
- …
- boom
- grow
- pick up
- …
- [countable] a commercial organization such as a company, shop or factory
- an organization that represents small businesses
- She works in the family business.
- We try to support local businesses.
- a successful/profitable business
- a retail/an online business
- to run/start a business
- to grow/expand/build a business
- He wanted to expand the export side of the business.
- We're looking for new business premises.
Collocations BusinessBusinessRunning a business- buy/acquire/own/sell a company/firm/franchise
- set up/establish/start/start up/launch a business/company
- run/operate a business/company/franchise
- head/run a firm/department/team
- make/secure/win/block a deal
- expand/grow/build the business
- boost/increase investment/spending/sales/turnover/earnings/exports/trade
- increase/expand production/output/sales
- boost/maximize production/productivity/efficiency/income/revenue/profit/profitability
- achieve/maintain/sustain growth/profitability
- cut/reduce/bring down/lower/slash costs/prices
- announce/impose/make cuts/cutbacks
- break into/enter/capture/dominate the market
- gain/grab/take/win/boost/lose market share
- find/build/create a market for something
- start/launch an advertising/a marketing campaign
- develop/launch/promote a product/website
- create/generate demand for your product
- attract/get/retain/help customers/clients
- drive/generate/boost/increase demand/sales
- beat/keep ahead of/out-think/outperform the competition
- meet/reach/exceed/miss sales targets
- draw up/set/present/agree/approve a budget
- keep to/balance/cut/reduce/slash the budget
- be/come in below/under/over/within budget
- generate income/revenue/profit/funds/business
- fund/finance a campaign/a venture/an expansion/spending/a deficit
- provide/raise/allocate capital/funds
- attract/encourage investment/investors
- recover/recoup costs/losses/an investment
- get/obtain/offer somebody/grant somebody credit/a loan
- apply for/raise/secure/arrange/provide finance
- lose business/trade/customers/sales/revenue
- accumulate/accrue/incur/run up debts
- suffer/sustain enormous/heavy/serious losses
- face cuts/a deficit/redundancy/bankruptcy
- file for/ (North American English) enter/avoid/escape bankruptcy
- (British English) go into administration/liquidation
- liquidate/wind up a company
- survive/weather a recession/downturn
- propose/seek/block/oppose a merger
- launch/make/accept/defeat a takeover bid
Wordfinder- agent
- business
- company
- competitor
- customer
- director
- employ
- franchise
- manager
- shareholder
Extra ExamplesTopics Businessa1- After leaving school she entered the family business.
- After six months the business really took off.
- He left the department to start his own business.
- He owns a management consulting business based in Santa Barbara.
- It was always my dream to run my own business.
- She had her own hairdressing business.
- She runs a successful online business.
- The business is expanding fast.
- The family owns a booming construction business.
- These laws make life more difficult for legitimate businesses.
- They decided to start their own business.
- Traditional businesses are having to compete with the internet.
- We built up the business from nothing.
- loans for people to start new businesses
- Almost all businesses will be closed on Christmas Day.
- I've decided to start my own business.
- This legislation will hurt small businesses.
- We are looking to grow the business over the next couple of years.
- They've got a small catering business.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- large
- medium-sized
- small
- …
- have
- own
- manage
- …
- do well
- flourish
- succeed
- …
- assets
- premises
- failure
- …
- [uncountable] something that a particular person or organization is responsible for
- It is the business of the police to protect the community.
- I shall make it my business to find out who is responsible.
- My private life is none of your business (= not something that you need to know about).
- It's no business of hers who I invite to the party.
- Keep your nose out of my business!
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- daily
- real
- get on with
- go about
- make something
- …
- have no business doing something
- have no business to do something
- keep your nose out of somebody’s business
- …
- [uncountable] important matters that need to be dealt with or discussed
- He has some unfinished business to deal with.
- the main business of the meeting
- business of doing something They should leave the business of making policy to the experts.
Extra Examples- This isn't a social call—I've come on official business.
- We have some unfinished business to discuss.
- Jack and I finished our business early, so we went to lunch.
- He needs time and space to get on with the real business of writing.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- private
- important
- pressing
- …
- get down to
- deal with
- discuss
- …
- any other business
- mean business
- [singular] (usually with an adjective) a matter, an event or a situation
- That plane crash was a terrible business.
- I found the whole business very depressing.
- The business of the missing tickets hasn't been sorted out.
Extra Examples- Having fun is a serious business.
- Changing your life can be a risky business.
- It was a bad business—he couldn't work for months.
- I'll be glad when the whole business is over and done with.
- I'm just glad to be out of the whole dirty business.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- whole
- dirty
- messy
- …
- (especially North American English) (also British English, formal custom)[uncountable] the fact of a person or people buying goods or services at a shop or business
- We're grateful for your business.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- big
- profitable
- private
- …
- carry on
- conduct
- do
- …
- deal
- transaction
- opportunity
- …
- in business
- on business
- business as usual
- business or pleasure
- mix business with pleasure
- …
trade
work
company
responsibility
important matters
event
being a customer
Word OriginOld English bisignis ‘anxiety’ (see busy, -ness); the sense ‘state of being busy’ was used from Middle English down to the 18th cent., but is now differentiated as busyness. The use ‘appointed task’ dates from late Middle English, and from it all the other current senses have developed.
Idioms
any other business
- the things that are discussed at the end of an official meeting that do not appear on the agenda
- I think we've finished item four. Now is there any other business?
be the business
- (informal) to be very good
be in business
- (informal) to have everything that you need in order to be able to start something immediately
- All we need is a car and we'll be in business.
be in the business of doing something
- to regard a particular activity as an essential part of what you do
- Restaurant owners everywhere are in the business of building relationships.
business as usual
- a way of saying that things will continue as normal despite a difficult situation
- It's business as usual at the factory, even while investigators sift through the bomb wreckage.
business is business
- a way of saying that financial and commercial matters are the important things to consider and you should not be influenced by friendship, etc.
get down to business
- to start dealing with the matter that needs to be dealt with, or doing the work that needs to be done
- Let’s get down to business right away—we’ll stop for coffee later.
- OK, let's get down to business.
go about your business
- to do the things that you normally do
- streets filled with people going about their daily business
- market traders going about their daily business
have no business doing something | have no business to do something
- to have no right to do something
- You have no business being here.
like nobody’s business
- (British English, informal) very much, very fast, very well, etc.
- I've been working like nobody's business to get it finished in time.
mean business
- (informal) to be serious in your intentions
- He has the look of a man who means business.
- He says he's going to make changes, and I think he means business.
mind your own business
- (informal) to think about your own affairs and not ask questions about or try to get involved in other people’s lives
- ‘What are you reading?’ ‘Mind your own business!’
- I was just sitting there, minding my own business, when a man started shouting at me.
not be in the business of doing something
- not to be intending to do something (which it would be surprising for you to do)
- I'm not in the business of getting other people to do my work for me.
out of business
- having stopped operating as a business because there is no more money or work available
- The new regulations will put many small businesses out of business.
- Some travel companies will probably go out of business this summer.
- The company went out of business during the recession.
ply for hire/trade/business
- (British English) to look for customers, passengers, etc. in order to do business
- taxis plying for hire outside the theatre