business
A1All registers, from formal to informal.
Definition
Meaning
The activity of buying and selling goods and services to make a profit.
Can refer to a specific company or organization engaged in commercial trade, a person's regular occupation, a particular matter or affair, or the state of being busy.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
In core meaning, uncountable; countable when referring to a specific company. Has specific uses in idioms (e.g., 'none of your business') and collocations.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor spelling differences in compounds (e.g., 'businessperson' vs. 'business person'). Slight variation in idiom usage (e.g., 'do the business' is more common in UK).
Connotations
Largely identical. Both use 'business' as primary term for commerce.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both varieties. Some derivatives like 'businesslike' may show slight frequency variation.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[be/go] in business[get/come/go] down to business[get/come/go] out of businessbusiness of doing somethingbusiness with someoneVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “mind your own business”
- “mean business”
- “monkey business”
- “get down to business”
- “have no business doing something”
- “the business (UK informal, excellent)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Our core business is software development.
Academic
The study analyses business cycles in post-industrial economies.
Everyday
I'm sorry, I can't meet for lunch, I have business in town.
Technical
The business logic layer was refactored for scalability.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- To business something is not standard.
American English
- To business something is not standard.
adverb
British English
- Not commonly used as an adverb.
American English
- Not commonly used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- Business class
- business hours
- a business meeting
- business attire
American English
- Business class
- business hours
- a business meeting
- business casual
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My brother works in a small business.
- She is on a business trip to London.
- The family started a catering business last year.
- It's none of your business what I do at the weekend.
- The company decided to divest its non-core business units to focus on profitability.
- Let's get down to business and finalise the agenda for the merger.
- The consultancy's principal line of business is advising on cross-border regulatory compliance.
- His cavalier attitude toward contractual obligations is no way to conduct business.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
BUSY-NESS: The state of being busy with commercial activity.
Conceptual Metaphor
BUSINESS IS A JOURNEY (embark on a new business), BUSINESS IS WAR (hostile takeover, business rival), BUSINESS IS A LIVING ORGANISM (start-up, growth, survival).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate 'business' as 'дело' in contexts like 'have no business doing' (meaning 'have no right').
- Avoid using 'business' for a single transaction or piece of work (use 'task' or 'job').
- 'Бизнес' in Russian is a direct loan, but its collocational range differs from English.
Common Mistakes
- *Make a business (correct: start/run/set up a business)
- *I am here for a business (correct: I am here on business)
- *My father has business (correct: My father is in business/has a business).
Practice
Quiz
In the idiom 'mean business', what does 'business' primarily mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, when referring to multiple companies or commercial operations (e.g., 'There are many small businesses on this street').
'Business' typically implies commercial trade or a specific company. 'Work' is a broader term for any effort or employment, not necessarily for profit.
Yes, in this idiomatic use, it means 'right to be involved' or 'legitimate concern'. It's a very common everyday usage.
It's pronounced as a /z/ sound, not an /s/. The word is pronounced /ˈbɪz.nɪs/. The common misspelling 'buisness' stems from this pronunciation.
Collections
Part of a collection
Work and Jobs
A2 · 49 words · Jobs, professions and the world of work.
Business Vocabulary
B1 · 50 words · Fundamental language of commerce and trade.