- business
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1. [uncountable] the production, buying, and selling of goods or services for profit:
• Students on the course learn about all aspects of business.
• We are in business to create profit.
• The company says it will never do business with the bank again.
2. go into business to start working in the production, buying, and selling of goods or services:• She wanted to quit working as a hostess and go into business on her own.
3. go out of business to stop operating as a company, usually because of bankruptcy:• 1,800 furniture store companies went out of business last year.
4. business is business used to say that profit is the most important thing:• With these guys, business is business, and charity and public works are not part of it.
5. [uncountable] the work that you do as part of your job:• Adam's in Argentina on business.
• Companies are looking hard at the need for many business trips.
6. [countable] a person or organization that produces and sells goods or services:• Do you want to manage your own business?
• She runs a business finding and restoring old cars.
• He works for a catering business.
ˌbig ˈbusiness [uncountable] COMMERCE1. very large companies considered as a powerful group with a lot of influence:• Reformers are trying to cut the links between government and big business.
2. a product or activity where a lot of money is involved:• Pet food is big business.
• Trafficking in stolen cars has become big business across eastern Europe.
ˌcore ˈbusiness [countable] COMMERCEthe business that makes the most money for a company and that is considered to be its most important and central one:• The car maker is to sell off its $1billion technology arm to concentrate resources on its core business.
ˌfamily ˈbusiness [countable] COMMERCEa business that is owned and managed by members of the same family:• The firm began as asmall family business.
ˌone-man ˈbusiness [countable] COMMERCEa business consisting of only one person:• He runs a one-man business as a builder.
companies involved in making or selling things that help people organize their lives, such as personal computers, videos etc:• The growing organizing business is also taking advantage of a change in retailing habits.
ˈshow ˌbusiness [uncountable] COMMERCEthe entertainment industry, for example television, films, and popular music:• Few industries rely on show business as heavily as magazines do.
ˌsmall ˈbusiness COMMERCE[countable] a business with not many employees, or these businesses considered as a whole:• They run a small business in Dorset.
• Soon he had so much business he had to subcontract.
• The company isn't doing much business in Japan.
• The economy is growing, jobs are plentiful and business is good.
• The promotional fares are designed to drum up business (= increase it ) during the slower fall period.
reˌpeat ˈbusiness [uncountable] COMMERCEif a company gets repeat business, customers return to it to buy more of its products or services:• The firm continued to grow, owing mainly to a high level of repeat business.
8. [uncountable] work that must be done in a particular job or period of time:• We discussed this week's business.
• the routine business of government
9. get down to business to start dealing with an important subject:• He offers juice or tea before getting down to business.
10. business as usual used to tell you that a shop or business is working normally when you might think it was working in a different way, or was closed:• The retailer says it intends to do business as usual during its reorganization.
• The market is shut today for Bastille day, but tomorrow it is business as usual.
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business UK US /ˈbɪznɪs/ noun COMMERCE► [U] the activity of buying and selling goods and services: in business »She is an academic, but all her brothers work in business.
be in business »Currently, fewer firms are in business in the area than ever before.
go into/set up in business »She set up in business as a management consultant.
be/be put/go out of business »This new tax will put a lot of small firms out of business.
do business with sb/sth »Our firm does a lot of business with overseas customers.
open for business/be open for business »The new restaurant opens for business this Saturday, 12th June.
a business deal/transaction/investment »He made a $550,000 business deal with Beijing Machinery Import and Export.
business activities/practices »Many of us want to adopt more environmentally friendly business practices.
a business venture/proposition/idea »We can help you put your business idea into practice.
»The scare over product safety in China has created a business opportunity for testing laboratories.
»a business consultant/executive
»a business contact/partner
»the business world/sector
»She stood against a powerful coalition of political and business interests.
► [U] work that you do to earn money: be in the ... business »He's in the frozen food business.
the music/insurance/tourism business »This is a glossary of terms used in the insurance business.
on business »Are you in Baltimore on business?
»a business appointment/meeting/trip
»a business call/letter
► [C] a company or organization that buys and sells goods or services: own/run/manage a business »She owns several businesses in the city.
set up/start a business »He hopes to start a bicycle repair business.
»a telecoms/design/hairdressing business
a family/local business »We are a family business, and everyone helps out in the shop.
»By the age of 24 I was running my own business.
grow/develop/build the business »We all know we could perform better, grow the business, plan for the future - if we had more time.
»Most business owners would like to think they know what their customers want.
► [U] the amount of work done or the number of goods or services sold by a company or organization: »How is business at the moment?
bring in/attract/win business »The ads in the local press brought in a lot of business.
»He gives tips on finding new business, building a relationship with the customer, and closing deals.
business is good/brisk/booming »After last year's long dry summer, business is booming for irrigation companies.
»business is bad/slack/quiet
► [U] the fact that someone buys goods or services from a particular store, company, etc.: lose/need/want sb's business »If you do not delight the customer, you risk losing their business.
→ See also ANY OTHER BUSINESS(Cf. ↑any other business), BIG BUSINESS(Cf. ↑big business), E-BUSINESS(Cf. ↑e-business), FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS(Cf. ↑first order of business), ORGANIZING BUSINESS(Cf. ↑organizing business), REPEAT BUSINESS(Cf. ↑repeat business), SHOW BUSINESS(Cf. ↑show business), SMALL BUSINESS(Cf. ↑small business)
Financial and business terms. 2012.
