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Region: General | Usage example: Now that guests are gone, let's get down to business.

Get down to business

Meaning

Stop talking and start working.

Usage

Used to shift from preliminaries to action.

Origin & History

Origin notes can vary by region and source; this page gives the commonly reported explanation and usage context.

Business meetings switching focus to main agenda.

Common in American corporate culture.

Related Idioms

Down to business

Start focusing on the important tasks.

Down to the wire

Until the very last moment.

Caught with your pants down

Surprised while unprepared.

More Idioms

Break the ice

To do or say something to relieve tension or get conversation going in a social situation.

Cut to the chase

Skip ahead to the most important or exciting part of something.

The ball is in your court

It is now your turn to take action or make a decision.

Throw in the towel

To concede defeat or admit a struggle isn't worth continuing.