How's business?

How's business?

An inquiry into the state of one's business or job. A: "Hi Murray, how's business?" B: "Oh, it's great—we just shipped out our biggest order ever!"
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

How's business?

Inf. a question asked in a conversation about the state of someone's business or job. Tom: Hello, Sally. How's business? Sally: Okay, I suppose. Bob: Good to see you, Fred. Fred: Hello, Bob. How's business? Bob: Just okay.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • go about (one's) business
  • go about your business
  • like nobody’s business
  • like nobody's business
  • business woman
  • open for business
  • punctuality is the soul of business
  • Keep your shop and your shop will keep you
  • make it one's business
  • a/(one's) place of business
References in periodicals archive
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"How's business?" At meetings and conferences, that's the question you can expect to hear right after, "Hi, how are you doing?" The answer is almost always couched in two frames of reference--pre-recession and post-recession--such as, "I'm doing 10% better than in 2007." (Rarely do they detail the metrics of red ink in 2009 and 2010.) As time goes by, the memory doesn't hurt so much, but it's ever-present.
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Upon arriving late one evening in Las Vegas to speak at a credit union conference, I asked the cab driver, "How's business?" I heard a profoundly sad story.
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Working from home; If you're after a different lifestyle, you might want a home with a business attached. Kirstie McCrum has selected properties with incomes that could offer a change of pace
Now your store is open, how are the locals and how's business?
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Tom never seemed to mind my deviation to capitalistic pursuits and always enquired, "How's business?"
Tom Hill and a moment in time.. ..
Don't let stress get you down "How's business?" or "Are you busy?" are probably the most common questions asked of people in business.
Be aware of stress levels
About a week ago, it was time for another cut, and after exchanging pleasantries-"It's sure hot today but I like it," and "how's business?" and stuff like that-we get down to it.
Harried politics
It's not competition, but when I go into a board meeting and friends ask 'how's business?', I want to be able to tell them something interesting.
Q and A EIGHT years ago Lorna Moran, founder [...]
"Then, we get them into the show, and we visit with them and ask, 'How's floor traffic?' 'Great!' 'How's business?' 'We're writing more orders than we did last year or perhaps more than we ever have!' 'Great.
Terrific business, challenging venue