enterprise

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: en=ter=prise

CIDE DICTIONARY

enterprise, n. [F. enterprise, fr. entreprendre to undertake; entre between (L. inter) + prendre to take. See Inter, and Emprise.].

•  That which is undertaken; something attempted to be performed; a work projected which involves activity, courage, energy, and the like; a bold, arduous, or hazardous attempt; an undertaking; as, a manly enterprise; a warlike enterprise.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]

  "Their hands can not perform their enterprise."  [1913 Webster]
•  Willingness or eagerness to engage in labor which requires boldness, promptness, energy, and like qualities; as, a man of great enterprise.  [1913 Webster]

enterprise, v. t. 

•  To undertake; to begin and attempt to perform; to venture upon.  [1913 Webster]

  "The business must be enterprised this night."  [1913 Webster]

  "What would I not renounce or enterprise for you!"  [1913 Webster]
•  To treat with hospitality; to entertain.  [1913 Webster]

  "Him at the threshold met, and well did enterprise."  [1913 Webster]

enterprise, v. i. 

 To undertake an enterprise, or something hazardous or difficult.  Pope.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

enterprise, n.
1 an undertaking, esp. a bold or difficult one.
2 (as a personal attribute) readiness to engage in such undertakings (has no enterprise).
3 a business firm.

Idiom

enterprise zone Brit. a depressed (usu. urban) area where State incentives such as tax concessions are designed to encourage investment.

Derivative

enterpriser n.

Etymology

ME f. OF entreprise fem. past part. of entreprendre var. of emprendre ult. f. L prendere, prehendere take

THESAURUS

enterprise

Aktiengesellschaft, accomplished fact, accomplishment, achievement, act, acta, action, activities, activity, adventure, adventuresomeness, adventurousness, affair, affairs, aggression, aggressiveness, aktiebolag, ambition, ambitiousness, approach, aristeia, arrangement, attack, attempt, audaciousness, audacity, bag, balls, bang, blow, blueprint, blueprinting, body corporate, bold stroke, boldness, bravado, bravura, business, business establishment, calculation, campaign, cartel, cause, chamber of commerce, charting, combine, commerce, commercial enterprise, commitment, compagnie, company, conception, concern, concernment, conglomerate, conglomerate corporation, consolidating company, consortium, contract, contrivance, copartnership, corporate body, corporation, coup, courage, daring, dash, deal, dealings, deed, derring-do, design, determination, device, disposition, diversified corporation, doing, doings, drive, dynamism, eagerness, effort, employ, employment, emprise, endeavor, energy, engagement, enterprisingness, enthusiasm, envisagement, establishment, exploit, fait accompli, feat, figuring, fire, firm, foolhardiness, force, forcefulness, foresight, forethought, function, game, gest, get-up-and-get, get-up-and-go, getup, ginger, go, go-ahead, go-getting, go-to-itiveness, graphing, ground plan, guidelines, gumption, guts, hand, handiwork, heroic act, holding company, house, hustle, idea, industry, initiative, intention, interest, inventiveness, job, joint-stock association, joint-stock company, kick, labor, layout, lineup, long-range plan, lookout, maneuver, mapping, master plan, matter, measure, method, methodology, mettle, move, obligation, occupation, operating company, operation, operations research, organization, outfit, overboldness, overt act, partnership, passage, pep, pepper, performance, piss and vinegar, pizzazz, plan, planning, planning function, plunderbund, pool, poop, prearrangement, procedure, proceeding, production, program, program of action, project, proposition, public utility, punch, purpose, purposefulness, pursuit, push, pushfulness, pushiness, pushingness, rationalization, res gestae, resolve, schedule, schema, schematism, schematization, scheme, scheme of arrangement, self-reliance, service, setup, snap, speculation, spirit, spunk, starch, step, stock company, strategic plan, strategy, striving, stroke, struggle, stunt, syndicate, system, systematization, tactical plan, tactics, task, the big picture, the picture, thing, thing done, thrust, tour de force, trade association, transaction, trust, turn, undertaking, up-and-comingness, utility, venture, venturesomeness, venturousness, verve, vigor, vim, way, work, working plan, works, zeal, zing, zip

ROGET THESAURUS

enterprise

Pursuit

N pursuit, pursuing, prosecution, pursuance, enterprise, business, adventure, quest, scramble, hue and cry, game, hobby, still-hunt, chase, hunt, battue, race, steeple chase, hunting, coursing, venation, venery, fox chase, sport, sporting, shooting, angling, fishing, hawking, shikar (Geog loc:India), pursuer, hunter, huntsman, shikari (Geog loc:India), sportsman, Nimrod, hound, pursuing, in quest of, in pursuit, in full cry, in hot pursuit, on the scent, in pursuance of, after, Int, tallyho!, yoicks!, soho!.

Undertaking

N undertaking, compact, adventure, venture, engagement, enterprise, emprise, pilgrimage, matter in hand, move, first move, undertaking, on the anvil, Int, here goes!.