Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases by Peter Mark Roget

what one is doing, what one is about; affair, concern, matter, case. matter in hand, irons in the fire; thing to do, agendum, task, work, job, chore [U.S.], errand, commission, mission, charge, care; duty &c 926. part, role, cue; province, function, lookout, department, capacity, sphere, orb, field, line; walk, walk of life; beat, round, routine; race, career. office, place, post, chargeship†, incumbency, living; situation, berth, employ; service &c (servitude) 749; engagement; undertaking &c 676. vocation, calling, profession, cloth, faculty; industry, art; industrial arts; craft, mystery, handicraft; trade &c (commerce) 794. exercise; work &c (action) 680; avocation; press of business &c (activity) 682. V. pass one's time in, employ one's time in, spend one's time in; employ oneself in, employ oneself upon; occupy oneself with, concern oneself with; make it one's business &c n.; undertake &c 676; enter a profession; betake oneself to, turn one's hand to; have to do with &c (do) 680. office, place, post, chargeship†, incumbency, living; situation, berth, employ; service &c (servitude) 749; engagement; undertaking &c 676. drive a trade; carry on a trade, do a trade, transact a trade, carry on business, do business, transact business &c n.; keep a shop; ply one's task, ply one's trade; labor in one's vocation; pursue the even tenor of one's way; attend to business, attend to one's work. officiate, serve, act; act one's part, play one's part; do duty; serve the office of, discharge the office of, perform the office of, perform the duties of, perform the functions of; hold an office, fill an office, fill a place, fill a situation; hold a portfolio, hold a place, hold a situation. be about, be doing, be engaged in, be employed in, be occupied with, be at work on; have one's hands in, have in hand; have on one's hands, have on one's shoulders; bear the burden; have one's hands full &c (activity) 682. be in the hands of, be on the stocks, be on the anvil; pass through one's hands. Adj. businesslike; workaday; professional; official, functional; busy &c (actively employed) 682; on hand, in hand, in one's hands; afoot; on foot, on the anvil; going on; acting. Adv. in the course of business, all in one's day's work; professionally &c Adj.. Phr. a business with an income at its heels [Cowper]; amoto quaeramus seria ludo [Lat.] [Horace]; par negotiis neque supra [Lat.] [Tacitus].