businesses
English meaning: Businesses
Definition
A specific commercial enterprise or establishment.
Example
“I was left my father's business.”
Another example: “Many small businesses struggled to survive the economic downturn.”
Usage — When, Where & How
Plural of 'business'; a neutral noun for commercial enterprises ('small businesses', 'local businesses'), common in economics, news and everyday speech. (The other senses of 'business' — affairs, matters — are usually uncountable.)
Etymology & Origin
English — Origin & History
From Old English 'bisignis' (anxiety, occupation), from 'bisig' (busy) plus '-ness'; the 'commercial enterprise' sense dates to the 18th century.
Related Words
Common Collocations
- small businesses
- local businesses
- run businesses
- family businesses
- online businesses
- businesses and households
Word Forms
business (sing); businesses (pl)
Word Tools
Literary Heritage
“To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”
/To thine own self be true/
“Be honest with yourself — and as naturally as night follows day, you will be unable to be false to others.”
“I'm nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too?”
/I'm nobody! Who are you?/
“I am nobody — and that quiet anonymity is more honest than the noise of public fame.”
Images
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Language information
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- English
- English
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- Indo-European
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