ADJ

big
profitable
private
core
It's time to focus on the company's core business
retail, wholesale
catering, computer, investment, etc.

VERB + BUSINESS

carry on (often law), conduct, do, transact
a company that has ceased to carry on business He's someone I can do business with (= that I find it easy/ pleasant to do business with)
work in
She works in the computer business
go into, set up in
go out of
The firm went out of business during the recession
put sb/sth out of
The new regulations will put many small firms out of business

BUSINESS + NOUN

deal, transaction
meeting
lunch
trip
community
executive, manager, partner
contact
affairs, interests, matters
investment
secret
protecting business secrets
plan
acumen
card
hours
You can call the helpline during normal business hours
school
studies
park
The company's offices are located in the new business park out of town

PREP

in ~
He's in business. What business are you in? (figurative) All we need is a car and we'll be in business (= we'll have everything we need to start what we want to do)
on ~
going to Paris on business

PHRASES

business as usual (= things will continue as normal in spite of a difficult situation)
It's business as usual at the factory, even while investigators sift through the bomb wreckage
business or pleasure
Is the trip to Rome business or pleasure?
mix business with pleasure
When I travel abroad I like to mix business with pleasure
a place of business

ADJ

brisk, good
Business was brisk and they had sold out by midday
bad, slack, slow

VERB + BUSINESS

drum up, generate
She's in Europe drumming up business for her new company
tout for
insurance salesmen touting for business
lose
We're losing business to our main rivals

BUSINESS + VERB

boom
Business is booming for estate agents in the south as the property market hots up
pick up
After a slack period business is now picking up

ADJ

large, medium-sized, small
family
international, local
private
state-owned
profitable, successful
mail order, retail, wholesale

VERB + BUSINESS

have, own
manage, run
It was always my dream to run my own business
set up, start
They decided to start their own business
build up
We built up the business from nothing
work in
He works in the family business
take over
expand, grow
We are looking to grow the business over the next couple of years
join, leave

BUSINESS + VERB

do/go well, take off
After six months the business really took off
expand, grow
The business is expanding fast
collapse, fail

BUSINESS + NOUN

assets, premises
failure

ADJ

daily

VERB + BUSINESS

go about
market traders going about their daily business
make sth
I shall make it my business to find out who is responsible

PHRASES

have no business doing sth/to do sth
You have no business (= no right) being here
mind your own business (= think about your own affairs and not try to get involved in other people's)
'What are you reading?' 'Mind your own business!' I was just sitting there, minding my own business, when a man started shouting at me
none of your business/no business of yours
My private life is none of your business (= does not concern you)

ADJ

private
important, pressing, urgent
unfinished
We've got some unfinished business to discuss

VERB + BUSINESS

get down to
OK, let's get down to business
deal with, discuss, talk
I'm not going to talk business tonight

PHRASES

any other business (= items discussed at the end of a meeting)
I think we've finished item four. Now, is there any other business?

ADJ

whole
I'll be glad when the whole business is over and done with
awful, bad, dreadful, terrible
It was an awful business?he couldn't work for months
funny, strange