Down to business

Meaning

Start focusing on the important tasks.

Usage

Used to transition from small talk to serious work.

Origin & History

Origins and dates here are approximate summaries. Many idioms have disputed or unknown origins, and not every date has been checked against a historical dictionary, so treat specific dates and stories as a starting point rather than a citation.

Commercial phrase about shifting from preliminaries to deals.

Typical in meeting notes from the 19th century onward.