mean business
Word Rarity
Common
Frequency: Zipf frequency 5.24 in modern English
16
Scrabble Score
12
Letters
2
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To be serious, especially where achieving a specific end against opposition is concerned.
Example Sentences
- "Say in a week from now, I will undertake to deliver this most marvellous masterpiece, if 'Look here, 'Tony, I mean business, if you don't."
- "Realising the L.C.R. meant business, the E.L.R. hastily withdrew from the negotiations and left the L.P.J.R. to make the best terms it could with the Carlisle company, […]."
- "Lorena Bobbit only did what men do to each other all the time: She showed an asshole she meant business."
- "He projects his concern to all employees and he means business when he says the “buck stops here”."