---
title: business — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «business» in the school dictionary: A business is a company, shop or firm that makes or sells things to earn money. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# business

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** business, firm, work, dad, small business, We · **What happens:** be, make, sell, earn, buy, concern · **To what, where:** company, things, money, work, something, you

<!-- .vabout -->
«business» in the school dictionary: its 4 meanings for a pupil and its 9 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [business in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/business.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A business is a company, shop or firm that makes or sells things to earn money.

<!-- fold The tree, 16 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:business:m1:1
# text = A business is a company, shop or firm that makes or sells things to earn money.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	business	business	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	company	company	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	shop	shop	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	firm	firm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
10	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	11	nsubj	_	_
11	makes	make	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	acl:relcl	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
13	sells	sell	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	conj	_	_
14	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	obj	_	_
15	to	to	PART	TO	_	16	mark	_	_
16	earn	earn	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	acl	_	_
17	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a business | a company and shop or firm |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **make** | present | firm |  |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset |
| 3 | **sell** | present | firm *not said here* | things |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent thing=Theme |
| 4 | **earn** | to-infinitive | firm *not said here* | money |  |  |  |  | vn get-13.5.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent money=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Business is the work of buying, selling and making money.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:business:m2:1
# text = Business is the work of buying, selling and making money.
1	Business	business	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	work	work	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	SCONJ	IN	_	6	mark	_	_
6	buying	buy	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	8	punct	_	_
8	selling	sell	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	conj	_	_
9	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
10	making	make	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	conj	_	_
11	money	money	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Business | the work |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **buy** | gerund | the work *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn accept-77.1 «NP V how S»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **sell** | gerund | the work *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V PP.recipient»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **make** | gerund | the work *not said here* | money |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset money=Product |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Your business is something that concerns only you.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:business:m3:1
# text = Your business is something that concerns only you.
1	Your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	business	business	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
4	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	0	root	_	_
5	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	6	nsubj	_	_
6	concerns	concern	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	acl:relcl	_	_
7	only	only	ADV	RB	_	8	advmod	_	_
8	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	6	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Your business | something |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **concern** | present |  | you |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |

## Meaning 4 {#m4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Business can mean a matter or affair, as in «a strange business».

<!-- fold The tree, 12 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:business:m4:1
# text = Business can mean a matter or affair, as in «a strange business».
1	Business	business	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	matter	matter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	affair	affair	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
9	as	as	SCONJ	IN	_	14	mark	_	_
10	in	in	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
11	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	strange	strange	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	business	business	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	14	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | can | Business | a matter or affair |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent matter=Topic |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her dad runs a small business selling bikes.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:business:x1:1
# text = Her dad runs a small business selling bikes.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	dad	dad	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	runs	run	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	business	business	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	selling	sell	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	6	acl	_	_
8	bikes	bike	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **run** | present | Her dad | a small business |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme business=Trajectory |
| 2 | **sell** | gerund | a small business *not said here* | bikes |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent bike=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We started a lemonade business in the summer.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:business:x2:1
# text = We started a lemonade business in the summer.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	started	start	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	lemonade	lemonade	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
5	business	business	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	summer	summer	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **start** | past | We | a lemonade business |  |  | summer |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent business=Eventuality |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mum is away on business.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:business:x3:1
# text = Mum is away on business.
1	Mum	mum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	away	away	ADV	RB	_	5	advmod	_	_
4	on	on	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	business	business	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | Mum |  |  | business |  | away *property* | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The bakery does good business on Saturdays.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:business:x4:1
# text = The bakery does good business on Saturdays.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	bakery	bakery	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	does	do	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	good	good	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	business	business	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	Saturdays	Saturday	PROPN	NNPS	Number=Plur	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | present | the bakery | good business |  |  | saturday |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent business=Eventuality |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
That's none of your business.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:business:x5:1
# text = That's none of your business.
1	That	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	3	det	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	none	none	PRON	NN	PronType=Neg	0	root	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	6	nmod:poss	_	_
6	business	business	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present |  | none |  |  |  | of your business | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Mind your own business!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:business:x6:1
# text = Mind your own business!
1	Mind	mind	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	4	nmod:poss	_	_
3	own	own	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	business	business	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mind** | imperative | you *not said here* | your own business |  |  |  |  | vn caring-75.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent business=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Let's get down to business.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:business:x7:1
# text = Let's get down to business.
1	Let	let	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	's	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	1	obj	_	_
3	get	get	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	1	xcomp	_	_
4	down	down	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
5	to	to	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	business	business	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **let** | imperative | you *not said here* | 's |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **get down** | infinitive | 's *not said here* |  |  |  |  | to business *result*; down *property* | vn convert-26.6.2 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Patient to business=Result |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
After the storm, it was business as usual.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:business:x8:1
# text = After the storm, it was business as usual.
1	After	after	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	storm	storm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
5	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
7	business	business	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	as	as	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	usual	usual	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | storm | business |  |  | after the storm | as usual | tree rules |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
That merchant's business began to prosper wonderfully.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:business:x9:1
# text = That merchant's business began to prosper wonderfully.
1	That	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	2	det	_	_
2	merchant	merchant	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	business	business	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	began	begin	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	prosper	prosper	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	xcomp	_	_
8	wonderfully	wonderfully	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **begin** | past | that merchant's business |  |  |  |  |  | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **prosper** | to-infinitive | that merchant's business *not said here* |  |  |  |  | wonderfully *property* | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
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