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mean business

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mean business

to be very, very serious. Stop laughing! I mean business. I could tell from the look on her face that she meant business.

See also: business, mean

mean business

to be serious After she scored that point, I realized that she meant business. We hope that the government means business and will really do something about the lack of affordable housing.

See also: business, mean

mean business

to be serious about achieving something, even if other people disagree with you The changes the new government has made show they mean business.

See also: business, mean

mean business

Be in earnest. For example, He really means business with this deadline. This idiom uses business in the sense of "a serious endeavor." [Mid-1800s]

See also: business, mean

mean business

tv. to be very, very serious. Stop laughing! I mean business.

See also: business, mean

mean business

Informal

To be in earnest.

See also: business, mean