gets down to business
Begins serious effort
Gets down to business means to stop with preliminaries and begin the serious or essential work at hand.
After small talk or delays, someone who gets down to business focuses on what actually needs to be done: After ten minutes of pleasantries, the negotiators got down to business.
The phrase implies a shift from casual to purposeful.
- concentratesDirects sustained attention
- buckles downBegins concentrated effort
- tacklesEngages or brings down
- initiatesStarts or new members
- hits the ground runningStarts work without delay
determines · accomplishes · resolves · cuts to the chase · strategizes · executes · takes charge · commits · addresses · optimizes · expedites · proceeds · knuckles down · completes · decides · streamlines · prioritizes · delivers
gets down to businessprocrastinates
Habitually delays action
wastes time · dawdles · dilly-dallies · goofs off · slacks off
gets down to businessgoofs around
Behaves foolishly for amusement
fools around · messes around · kids around · horseplays · clowns around
getting, downed, downing, downs, downer, downward, downwards, business, businesses