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businesslike love

businesslike

Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Showing or having characteristics advantageous to or of use in business; methodical and systematic.
  • adjective Purposeful; earnest.
  • adjective Practical; unemotional.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Such as prevails or ought to prevail in the conduct of business; methodical and thorough.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective In the manner of one transacting business wisely and by right methods; practical and efficient.
  • adjective serious and purposeful.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Methodical and efficient, in a way that would be advantageous to a business or businessperson
  • adjective Earnest and practical without being distracted or enthusiastic

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective exhibiting methodical and systematic characteristics that would be useful in business
  • adjective not distracted by anything unrelated to the goal

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

business +‎ -like

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Examples

  • "Where's your card?" she demanded in businesslike tones.

    South of the Slot 1909

  • “Where’s your card?” she demanded in businesslike tones.

    SOUTH OF THE SLOT 2010

  • The meeting with Mr. Hu was described as businesslike by senior White House officials, who said the main hot-button issue -- Beijing's suggestion that a new global currency replace the dollar -- didn't come up.

    Obama Hits Resistance at G-20 2009

  • The meeting was described as businesslike by U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Crocker.

    CNN Transcript May 28, 2007 2007

  • We're expecting it'll be very much like what Press Secretary Tony Snow described as the businesslike session yesterday that the president had, with the incoming House Democratic leadership.

    CNN Transcript Nov 10, 2006 2006

  • Minister Gordon Brown as they look for their own optimum cuts in their relations which have been described as another businesslike, volatile relationship; according to the article written by Roland

    Telegraph.co.uk: news, business, sport, the Daily Telegraph newspaper, Sunday Telegraph 2010

  • Minister Gordon Brown as they look for their own optimum cuts in their relations which have been described as another businesslike, volatile relationship; according to the article written by Roland

    Telegraph.co.uk: news, business, sport, the Daily Telegraph newspaper, Sunday Telegraph 2010

  • A novelist sometimes derogatorily referred to as "businesslike" for his methodical writing habits, Anthony Trollope reveled in the drama of business in "The Way We Live Now," a satire of financial speculation in 19th-century England.

    Great Literature About Business 2010

  • The White House described Wednesday's meeting as "businesslike," a chance to compare notes on a sweep of economic and security issues, and vow stronger cooperation.

    Obama to Visit China, Resume Dialogue 2009

  • The "businesslike" and "professional" question from "an occasional, if also slightly reluctant, snarkling " spawned a question in the echoing recesses of what passes for my brain, these days.

    Archive 2006-06-04 Miss Snark 2006

Comments

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  • qroqqa commented on the word businesslike

    Just about(1) the only word where the suffix '-like' doesn't transparently mean "like a _". Recommendation: do not hyphenate. *rubber stamp* Next!

    Footnote 1: That means I can't think of any others.

    September 4, 2008