Cambridge Dictionaries online Cambridge Dictionaries online

The most popular online dictionary and thesaurus for learners of English

  

first order of business

 
 
noun [C] (plural first orders of business)

Definition

a situation or subject that must be dealt with before anything else: When the financial situation gets difficult, the first order of business is to define your goals and your priorities.
(Definition of first order of business noun from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Word of the Day

a cloud on the horizon

something which threatens to cause problems or unhappiness in the future

Word of the Day

Blog

Read our blog about how the English language behaves.

Learn More

New Words

Find words and meanings that have just started to be used in English, and let us know what you think of them.

Learn More