Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a homosexual male prostitute.

1972		B. Rodgers Queens’ Vernacular.
1989–99		R.O. Scott Gay Sl. Dict. 🌐 business boy: [1960s] a boy that is trying to make a profession out of prostitution.

1. that part (practical or metaphorical) that really matters; thus (US) the business end of a tin tack, the point.

1875		Emporia News (KS) 24 Sept. 4/3: Mrs Forster would have done better to have [...] proceeded to beat some sense into his sconce with the business side of a wash-board.
1879		St Paul Globe (MN) 31 July 4/2: There is nothing half so full of pure cussedness [...] as the business end of a wasp.
1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 15 Aug. 13/4: The collector of this deserving charity will be so good as to call at The Bulletin office, where a pound awaits him – a pound of lead at the business end of a shtick.
1887		Junction City Wkly Union (KS) 16 Apr. 3/3: Don’t fool around with the business end of a rusty shotgun.
1890		Sporting Times 1 Mar. 1/3: His Optics Glimmered on an Old and Mossgrown Horse, who was Filling himself Up on the Wisp, or business end of a Broom.
1897		Ranch & Range (N. Yakima, WA) 29 Apr. 14/2: [advert] The Business End of Business — That’s What We Teach!
1900		Bulletin (Sydney) 10 Feb. 24/4: On ‘form’ he is still apparently superior to young Dawson, who met him on level terms last year and was altogether outplayed at the business end of the match.
1909		Carrizozo News (NM) 4 June 7/1: Jim Woodland is taking a rest [...] from the effects of stepping on the business end of a tenpenny nail.
1912		Bulletin (Sydney) 29 Aug. 15/4: It varies in length from one to three feet, and is armed with a pair of nippers similar to those which adorn the business end of a centipede.
1922		Joyce Ulysses 318: That’s an almanac picture for you. [...] Old lardyface standing up to the business end of a gun.
1936		Auden & Isherwood Ascent of F6 I ii: He’s a man and he expects to be ruled by men. He understands strength and he respects it. He despises weakness and he takes advantage of it. Show him the business end of a machine-gun and he —.
1949		N. Algren Man with the Golden Arm 77: He still looked like the business end of a fugitive warrant to Frankie.
1955		B. Schulberg On the Waterfront (1964) 69: Even when he was looking down the business end of a triggerboy’s .38.
1960, 1975		Wentworth & Flexner DAS.
1973		L. Watson Supernature 102: There is even an example of convergent evolution at a molecular level in two enzymes [...] which have exactly the same patterns of amino acids at the ‘business ends’.
1990		S. Morgan Homeboy 3: The business end of a dozen felony warrants.
2004		E. Weiner Drop Dead, My Lovely (2005) 1: She placed the business end of the item under my tongue.
2005		L. Redhead Rubdown [ebook] I was glad I was down at the feet and not up at the business end [i.e the genitals].
2020		S.A. Crosby Blacktop Wasteland 255: Beauregard wheeled around with the .45. He panned across the room with the business end.

2. the anus.

1977

J. Sayles Union Dues (1978) 13: You let off one of them whistlers from your business end near a methane pocket an we’ll all be playing in the harp section.

3. the vagina.

2001

‘Randy Everhard’ Tattoo of a Naked Lady 14: I’ve [...] seen many things, but nothing beats the business end of a woman.

a prostitute.

1928		C. McKay Home to Harlem 61: In her salad days as a business girl her purse was controlled by many a black man.
1961		(con. early 1950s) J. Peacock Valhalla 156: ‘I guess that’s why I’m a business woman.’ ‘You like it?’ he asked. ‘Or the money?’.
1979		F. Norman Too Many Crooks Spoil the Caper 80: Velma’s a bizness girl. Yuh ain’t got nuffink agin bizness girls ’ave yuh?
1989		T. Blacker Fixx 204: Being entertained by a brace of business girls.
2006		D. Seabrook Jack of Jumps (2007) 19: This girl was a business girl.

(US black) acting arrogantly, putting on airs.

1884

J. Harrison ‘Negro English’ in Anglia VII 264: To git bcyant yo’ biznis = to bo above yourself.

1. to have sexual intercourse; often in the context of prostitution.

1855		Yokel’s Preceptor 8: Mary Mitchell, the Black Mot [...] used to pad the Haymarket. She did a vast deal of business; but being too fond of the tape she oftened figured before the beak.
1890–1904		Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.
1973		D. Goines Street Players 129: Why don’t you park and do some business, honey?

2. to commit a crime.

1910

Bulletin (Sydney) 15 Dec. 35/4: [...] know that ’im an’ ‘Spotty’ Pink did a bit of business at ole man Vile’s jest afore the pair of ’em got jugged.

1. to have intercourse with a prostitute.

1896		Farmer Vocabula Amatoria (1966) 22: Avoir commerce = to copulate; ‘to do business’.
1930		D.M. Garrison ‘Song of the Pipeline’ in Botkin Folk-Say 107: Angel she comes up to me and sez ‘Want to dance, sweet thing?’ ‘Naw,’ sez I, ‘but you and I can have a little of each other’s business.’.
1969		‘Iceberg Slim’ Mama Black Widow 165: You studs want to do some business?

2. (US und.) to act in a criminal or fraudulent manner.

1900		Nat. Police Gaz. (NY) 8 Sept. 11/4: [He] was thoroughly justified in believing that a man who admitted ‘doing business’ once would ‘do business’ again.
1913		Curran Report 16: [H]e swore that a member of the bureau had boasted that he was worth $90,000 because he knew how to ‘do business’.
1984		D. Jenkins Life Its Ownself 234: Shake had uncovered no evidence that anyone on Charlie’s crew was guilty of ‘doing business.’ [...] The fact that Shake had no proof of wrongdoing on the part of crew members didn’t get them off the hook.

3. to purchase drugs.

1995

J. Cameron Vinnie Got Blown Away 61: Nicky I’m a busy man [...] You want to do business, you know where to get me.

a euph. meaning to go to the lavatory, esp. used to children.

1606		P. Holland (trans.) Suetonius’s Historie of Twelve Caesars (1899) II 220: [He had] a countenance as if he streined hard for a stoole. Whereupon one of these plaisants came out with a pretie conceit. For when Vespasian seemed to request the fellow for to breake a jest upon him also, as well as upon others, ‘that I will,’ quoth he, ‘If you had done your businesse once upon the seege’.
1645		Sacr. Decretal 3: Have a [...] care [...] that [...] no birds build, chatter, or do their businesse, or sing there [OED].
[1932		(con. WWI) L. Mann Flesh in Armour 163: Nature’s business was henceforth conducted with a despatch entirely antipathetic to its proper aesthetics].
1937–84		Partridge DSUE (1984) 318/1: from ca. 1850.
1950		P. Larkin ‘The Literary World’ in Coll. Poems (1988) 38: Mister Alfred Tennyson sat like a baby / Doing his poetic business.
1955		J.P. Donleavy Ginger Man (1958) 165: These ould bastards who come in at night full of red biddy and do their business all over the floors.
1964		J. Thompson Pop. 1280 in Four Novels (1983) 374: The only view they get is of some fella doing his business.
1965		W. Dick Bunch of Ratbags 52: It might seem strange that we let them do their business on the floors.
1972		(con. 1920s) in J. Curry River’s in My Blood (1983) 166: He had two daggone kittens [...] And you know there was only one place they could do their business—that’s in the pilot’s toilet.
1975		T. Rhone School’s Out I iii: I will have to start doing my things at my yard.
1977		J. Sayles Union Dues (1978) 205: Denny and Kevin do their business, they’re zipping up to get back in the car when this cop pulls right up behind.
1981		J. Sullivan ‘A Slow Bus to Chingford’ Only Fools and Horses [TV script] Don’t forget to take Nero out so he can do his business, alright?
1990		(con. early 1950s) J. Ellroy L.A. Confidential 148: Those animals ripped me up and did their business in my mouth.
1993		(con. 1969) N.L. Russell Suicide Charlie 116: Just about midnight, I felt an overwhelming need to pee and hopped out of the pit and sauntered over to a more private spot, there to do my business.
1999		Indep. Rev. 14 July 8: Susie does her business in the gutter, not on the pavement.
2001		(con. 1945–6) P. Doyle Devil’s Jump (2008) 116: We were stuck in those shitty trenches – and I mean shitty [...] Blokes were doing their business right there in the trench.
2013		J. Stahl Happy Mutant Baby Pills 15: You don’t always have time to pull over and find somewhere convenient to do your business.
2020		A. Shrier Irreversible Damage 147: ‘I mean, they’re cubicles, you walk in, you do your business, you walk out’.
2024		J. Haidt Anxious Generation 75: [of a puppy] [S]he had trouble relaxing enough to ‘do her business’.

1. to ruin.

1701		Farquhar Sir Harry Wildair IV ii: ’Tis a weak-headed Coxcomb! two or three Bumpers did his Business.
1759		J. Townley High Life Below Stairs II i: I’ll do his business for him, when his Honour comes to Town.

2. to beat, to kill.

1732		T. Beck in Ordinary’s Acct n.p.: I tore her Gown all to Pieces, and if some People had not come to her Assistance, I believe I should have done her Business.
1748		Smollett Roderick Random (1979) 28: You shall pay for this, you dog, you shall. – I’ll do your business.
1749		Fielding Tom Jones (1959) 269: He concluded he had pretty well done their business, for both of them, as they ran off, cried out with bitter oaths, that they were dead men.
1824		‘Geoffrey Crayon’ Tales of a Traveller (1850) 424: The red-cap cocked his pistol and fired. [...] ‘I’ve done his business,’ said the red-cap to one or two of his comrades as they arrived panting. ‘He’ll tell no tales, except to the fishes in the river.’.
1838		‘Paul Pry’ Oddities of London Life I 121: Mrs. Green seized me by the hair of my head, and took a hoath as she’d do my business the first opportunity.
1883		J. Greenwood Odd People in Odd Places 7: ‘They said it was his hurts as killed him,’ said the old lady [...] ‘It was the bricks and mortar that did his business, poor chap.’.
1890–1904		Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.

1. to act in the manner required.

1608		Dekker Belman of London F4: The tooles that doe the businesse are called Wresters.
1699		Farquhar Love and a Bottle II ii: The moving a man’s Limbs pliantly does the business.
1707		Farquhar Beaux’ Stratagem V iii: ’Sdeath, I’m glad on’t; this wound will do the business. I’ll amuse the old lady and Mrs Sullen about dressing my wound, while you carry off Dorinda.
1731		C. Coffey Devil to Pay III iii: A Tweak or two by the Nose, and half a Dozen Straps did the Business at last.
1768		Foote Devil Upon Two Sticks in Works (1799) II 264: It [i.e. bleeding] did the business [...] I compassed the job.
1781		Hicky’s Bengal Gaz. 24 Nov.-1 Dec. n.p.: It is the Verdict that does the Business, but it is the Evidence [...] that governs the Verdict.
1825		T.C. Croker Fairy Legends and Traditions of the South of Ireland (1862) 205: The brandy got into it and did his business for him.
1829		T. Flint George Mason 81: An answer so proper produced an instant impression. It did the business for George. It aroused attention, and created instant sympathy.
1845		J. Lindridge Sixteen-String Jack 157: Off with your shakers, and toss on mine—half a minute will do the business.
1865		J.F. Brobst letter in Brobst Well Mary, Civil War Letters 149: We do the business up in regular style.
1881		‘Bill Nye’ Bill Nye and Boomerang 110: [She] whispered a few low musical words in his ear. That did the business.
1889		Dead Bird (Sydney) 20 July 3/2: He is a sound bird and [...] he does the big biz.
1899		J. Flynt Tramping with Tramps 369: We was so bughouse we cal’lated they oughter do the biz.
1908		‘Old Sleuth’ Dock Rats of N.Y. (2006) 17: ‘How was it the boys chanced to “drop” to him?’ ‘Renie did the business.’ ‘Renie did the business?’ ejaculated the man. ‘Yes, sir; she went through him.’.
1914		F. Dumont Darkey Dialect Discourses 11: A few kisses does de bizness and foolish man coughs up.
1924		(con. 1880–1924) F.J. Wilstach Anecdota erótica 16: A man’s wife was in Atlantic City. Friend at the house was told that she had a womb protector that did the business.
1926		E. Hemingway letter 2 Jan. in Baker Sel. Letters (1981) 188: Forwarded that letter to Clarke day it came. Hope it does the business.
1986		R. Hewitt White Talk Black Talk 22: Derek and Martin would do the business with all the George lot.
1989		(con. 1950s–60s) in G. Tremlett Little Legs 47: If you were going to survive you had to prove that you could do the business.
1989		M. Amis London Fields 209: He’ll do the necessary. Keith’ll do the biz.
1998		I. Welsh Filth 78: I’m on these benzedrines. They’ll do the biz.
1999		Indep. on Sun. Rev. 1 Aug. 45: Strangely, it does the business.
2000		J.J. Connolly Layer Cake 117: ‘Listen, if you need geezers who can do the business, you know — ’ he makes a gun shape ‘— we can sort that as well.’.
2002		A. Duff Jake’s Long Shadow 69: Bust anyone’s head. Do the hurt bizniz on anyone.
2004		R.G. Barrett Rosa Marie’s Baby (2013) [ebook] ‘We just run in. Do the biz. And run out again. Easy’.

2. to hang, to murder, to kill.

1828		G. Smeeton Doings in London 157: I did the business for Mester Fontilry (Fauntleroy) in style [...] I tucked up Thistlewood, and all them chaps.
1840		W.G. Simms Border Beagles (1855) 300: Dang my buttons, I’m almost ashamed I didn’t borrow a pen-knife to do the business.
1849		Thackeray Pendennis I 107: Then he took down his venerable and murderous duelling-pistols, with fine flint locks, that had done the business of many a pretty fellow in Dublin.
1856		C. Reade It Is Never Too Late to Mend I 316: She was stronger than he was for a minute or two, and that moment would have done his business. She meant killing.
1878		F. Remington letter in Splete (1988) 20: You would stick by your old desk until some disease had done the ‘biz’ for you.
1928		C. Panzram Journal of Murder in Gaddis & Long (2002) 85: We concocted a scheme to steal that schooner and kill the owner, captain and crew [...] The two of us got all ready to do the business.

3. to have sexual intercourse, irrespective of sexuality.

1660		Wandring Whore I 4: For such as fear the french Pox or perilous infirmity of burning, I advise not to do the business without spunges.
1797		Bridges Burlesque Homer (4th edn) II 100: His whoring sconce / Can only trim us one at once; / So whilst one gets her bus’ness done, / The other will have time to run.
1834		‘The Knocking Tinker’ in Flare-Up Songster in Spedding & Watt (eds) Bawdy Songbooks (2011) IV 288: A jolly tinker undertook, / And promised her most fairly, / [...] / To do her business rarely.
1941		F. Swados House of Fury (1959) 94: Most every night they would wake us up doin’ their business. I could hear them roll over; the springs would squeak.
1988		R. Doyle Commitments 38: At least we know tha’ Imelda does the business.
1990		R. Doyle Snapper 171: The one abou’ doin’ the business, yeh know. — Sex?
1992		D. Jarman diary 26 June Smiling in Slow Motion (2000) 155: We did the business.
1998		I. Welsh Filth 108: I got her three sheets and did the business with her.
2002		A. Duff Jake’s Long Shadow 71: You do your bizniz with your girlfriend during recreation times, in your cell or his.
2018		C. Hammer Scrublands [ebook] ‘Sometimes, when we was in our cups, we’d talk about it, doing the business. He had some good stories, I can tell you. But they were all about sheilas’.

(US black) to be successful.

1980

E. Folb Runnin’ Down Some Lines 239: get business Succeed in life.

(US) to interfere in someone’s privacy.

2002		J. Lerner You Got Nothing Coming 73: I ain’t lookin’ to get up in your business or nothin’, but what kind of name is Lerner?
2015		P. Beatty Sellout (2016) 230: These days mainstream America’s nose is all up in our business.

1. to kill.

[1825		J.K. Paulding John Bull in America 295: The two young banditti had taken down their rifles, and while loading them the following dialogue passed between them in whispers – ‘D--n him but I’ll do his business; I’ll give him his bitters’].
1931		C.B. Yorke ‘Snowbound’ in Gangster Stories Oct. n.p.: ‘If you’re lying I’ll give you the business pronto’’.
1938		D. Runyon ‘What, No Butler?’ in Runyon on Broadway (1954) 388: If some doll does give Mr. Justin Veezee the business, it is only retribution.
1940		N. Davis ‘You’ll Die Laughing’ in Penzler Pulp Fiction (2007) 246: I figure they was havin’ a party and he gave her the business.
1942		R. Chandler High Window 151: He drags Phillips into the bathroom and gives him the business with his own gun.
1952		(con. 1920s) ‘Harry Grey’ Hoods (1953) 220: We didn’t hear no shot. Did you give him the business, Noodles?

2. to beat up, to assault.

1956		N. Algren Walk on the Wild Side 258: The B. and I. gave me the business [...] the things a bunch of tough coppers can do to a guy who won’t talk makes me shaky when I remember it.
1958		Mad mag. Nov. 38: Dere’s a coupl a’ guys [...] waitin’ t’ gimme d’ business.
1960, 1975		Wentworth & Flexner DAS.
1978		F. Norman Dead Butler Caper 133: Why would I wanna send someone around to give yuh the business?
2012		E. Kurtz ‘In the Neighborhood’ in ThugLit Dec. [ebook] The other guys [...] had been giving him the business for a while.

3. to have sexual intercourse with.

1959

A. Zugsmith Beat Generation 37: He liked to give them the business in full daylight.

4. to tease, to taunt, to put at a disadvantage by one’s own actions.

1951		M. Spillane Long Wait (1954) 70: She gives him the business. Lenny, he likes the treatment so he keeps her around.
1955		B. Schulberg On the Waterfront (1964) 194: I thought he was givin’ me the business.
1977		(con. 1949) J.G. Dunne True Confessions (1979) 236: Giving Sonny the business is what he means, Desmond Spellacy thought. First the stick, now the carrot.

5. to deceive, to bamboozle; to flatter.

1931		D. Runyon ‘Broadway Financier’ in Runyon on Broadway (1954) 206: Doc Daro is always telling Silk what rascals guys are and explaining to her the different kinds of business they will try to give her.
1938		Reading (PA) Eagle 20 Mar. 7/3: Joe College says [...] ‘don’t give me the business’ to someone who he thinks is giving him a line.
1941		B. Schulberg What Makes Sammy Run? (1992) 55: Sammy started giving her the business about putting her in the movies.
1949		N. Algren Man with the Golden Arm 285: Don’t try giving me the business.
1959		‘Monroe Fry’ Sex, Vice & Business 52: Usually, after sparring a bit, he gives us what he thinks is the business—how pretty we are, what a beautiful dancer, what a build.
1996		(con. 1949) G. Pelecanos Big Blowdown (1999) 285: I give this guy the business and find out about the girl.

6. to interrogate.

1963

in T.I. Rubin Sweet Daddy 115: He starts giving him the real business. Third degreeing him.

7. to cast flirtatious glances at.

1958

Murtagh & Harris Cast the First Stone 159: I was standing in this Tornado Bar [...] when she whisked in and started giving me the business.

8. to frustrate sexually.

1953

L. Uris Battle Cry (1964) 141: She’s giving him the business.

9. to brag to, to boast to.

1955

‘Blackie’ Audett Rap Sheet 207: Me and Pat listened for a while to this kid giving us the business about all the places he had been and the things he done, so at last we figured it was about time to take care of him.

(orig. US black) to be in a position to disparage.

1935

Z.N. Hurston Mules and Men (1995) 20: Willie Mae Clark gave him a certain look and asked him, ‘What’s dat got to do with you, George Brown?’ And he shut up. Everybody knows that Willie Mae’s got the business with George Brown.

see in someone’s face under face n.

(US) of a person or situation, to look serious or threatening.

1873		W.H. Thomes Bushrangers 117: ‘This,’ he said, ‘looks like business. Here we are once more on the war path, and may luck favor us.’.
1902		C.L. Cullen More Ex-Tank Tales 98: He looked like business, all right, and so did his porter, who came on the scene just then with a mallet.
1926		S. O’Casey Plough and the Stars Act II: ‘Damn it,’ says I to meself, ‘this looks like business!’.

(US black) phr. of dismissal, i.e. ‘none of one business’.

1979		W.D. Myers The Young Landlords 26: I told Gloria to mind her B-I business .
1984		W.D. Myers Motown and Didi 59: ‘How you get in that building over there [...] ?’ Motown asked. ‘None of your B.I. business!’ .

of a woman, to make oneself available for sexual intercourse.

1710

Swift letter v 4 Oct. in Journal to Stella (1901) 27: Mr. Harley [...] has appointed me an hour on Saturday at four, afternoon, when I will open my business with him; which expression I should not use if I were a woman.

see on the game under game n.

1. (US Und.) to offer a bribe to the police or other officials in the hope of securing immunity or leniency.

1950

Goldin et al. DAUL 219/2: Talk business. 1. To offer a bribe to arresting officers or other officials; to offer to barter information against the underworld for leniency or immunity.

2. (US black) to seduce, to charm.

1901		W. Irwin Love Sonnets of a Hoodlum XVI n.p.: Gum Drop: Your tanglefoot has got my game, I’m stuck so tight you cannot shake your catch [...] So wont you join me in a tie-up match? If you’ll talk business, I’m your lemon pie.
[1912		Bulletin (Sydney) 12 Dec. 27/2: Sometimes he thought that she snubbed him. [...] She did that when some friend’s comment reached her ear, or when she gave up hope of ever hearing Henry talk business].
1980		E. Folb Runnin’ Down Some Lines 257: talk (one’s) business 1. Talk with intelligence, force, and knowledge. 2.Talk seductively to a member of the opposite sex.

to be drunk.

1770		Gent.’s Mag. 559: To express the condition of an Honest Fellow [...] under the Effects of good Fellowship, [...] It is also said that he has [...] 48. Business on both sides of the way.
1812		Spirit of Irish Wit 21: No woman is to be admitted in half mourning, or those that have business on both sides of the street.