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1. busi·ness

   /ˈbiznəs/

   noun

   • 1. a person's regular occupation, profession, or trade: "she had to do a lot of smiling in her business" Similar work, line of work, line, occupation, profession, ... morecareer, employment, job, day job, position, pursuit, vocation, calling, field, sphere, walk of life, trade, craft, way, métier, informal:racket, game, grip, archaic:employ
   • ▪ an activity that someone is engaged in: "what is your business here?"
   • ▪ a person's concern: "it's not my business to interfere" Similar concern, affair, responsibility, province, preserve, ... moreduty, function, task, assignment, obligation, problem, worry, lookout, informal:funeral, headache, bailiwick, pigeon, baby
   • ▪ work that has to be done or matters that have to be attended to: "government business"
   • 2. the practice of making one's living by engaging in commerce: "the jewelry business" Similar trade, trading, commerce, buying and selling, dealing, ... moretraffic, trafficking, marketing, merchandising, bargaining, dealings, transactions, negotiations, proceedings
   • ▪ trade considered in terms of its volume or profitability: "how's business?"
   • ▪ a commercial operation or company: "a catering business" Similar firm, company, concern, enterprise, venture, ... moreorganization, operation, undertaking, industry, corporation, establishment, house, shop, office, bureau, agency, franchise, practice, partnership, consortium, cooperative, conglomerate, group, combine, syndicate, informal:outfit, setup
   • 3. an affair or series of events, typically a scandalous or discreditable one: informal "they must be told about this blackmailing business" Similar affair, matter, thing, issue, case, ... moreset of circumstances, circumstance, situation, occasion, experience, event, incident, happening, occurrence, phenomenon, eventuality, episode, interlude, adventure
   • ▪ a group of related or previously mentioned things: informal "use carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli, and serve the whole business hot"
   • 4. actions other than dialogue performed by actors: theatrical slang "a piece of business"
   • 5. a scolding; harsh verbal criticism: informal "the supervisor really gave him the business"

   Word Origin Old Englishbisignis ‘anxiety’ (see busy, -ness); the sense ‘state of being busy’ was used from Middle English down to the 18th century, 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.

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