business end

noun

: the end with, from, or through which a thing's function is fulfilled
the business end of a revolver

Examples of business end in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web On a rainy September night, the truck rumbled onto the infield of the Rockford Speedway in Illinois, stopping with its business end about 10 feet from a junk minibus. John Keilman, WSJ, 10 Dec. 2023 It’s no fun being an angler caught on the business end of a fishing hook. Matt Williams, Dallas News, 4 June 2022 More than just their ability, knowing one of these guys is lurking at the business end of a Grand Slam final has been a psychological hurdle for a few generations of men's tennis players. Dan Wolken, USA TODAY, 6 Sep. 2022 Just hold the business end steady and keep your movements as smooth as possible for the best trim. Derek Carwood, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Aug. 2022 See all Example Sentences for business end 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'business end.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of business end was in 1840

Dictionary Entries Near business end

Cite this Entry

“Business end.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/business%20end. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

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