From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcompanycom‧pa‧ny /ˈkʌmpəni/ ●●● S1 W1 noun (plural companies) 1 BUSINESSbusiness [countable]COMPANY a business organization that makes or sells goods or services SYN business, firm Which company do you work for? I called the phone company about the bill. The company was set up just after the war. The company directors have awarded themselves a massive pay increase.GRAMMAR: Singular or plural verb?• In this meaning, company is usually followed by a singular verb: The company makes machine parts.• In British English, you can also use a plural verb: The company make machine parts.2 WITHOTHER PEOPLEother people [uncountable] when you are with other people and not alone The two men enjoy each other’s company. Rita’s husband is away for the week, so I thought I’d go over and keep her company (=be with her so that she doesn’t feel lonely). Come over for dinner – I could use the company (=would like to be with other people). James is good company (=is a cheerful person who is enjoyable to be with).as company Bessie was glad to have the dog as company.in somebody’s company (=with someone) I felt nervous in the company of such an important man.in company with somebody (=together with another person or group) He’s performing in company with saxophonist Ernie Watts.3 GUESTSguests [uncountable]VISIT people who are visiting you in your home It looks like the Hammills have company. We’re expecting company this evening.4 FRIENDSfriends [uncountable]FRIEND your friends or the group of people you spend time with People judge you by the company you keep (=the people you spend time with). Things began to go wrong when he got into bad company.5 PERFORMERSperformers [countable]AP a group of actors, dancers, or singers who work together a theatre company a touring company the Kirov Ballet Company► see thesaurus at actor 6 → be in good company7 GROUPGROUP [uncountable] formalWITH a group of people who are together in the same place, often for a particular purpose or for social reasons He glanced around at the assembled company. Some jokes are just not appropriate to tell in mixed company (=in a group of both men and women).in company (=when surrounded by other people, especially at a social occasion) Parents should teach their children how to behave in company.8 → somebody and company9 armyARMY [countable]PMA a group of about 120 soldiers who are usually part of a larger group10 → two’s company, three’s a crowdCOLLOCATIONS – Meaning 1: a business organization that makes or sells goods or servicesADJECTIVES/NOUN + company a computer/phone/oil etc companyan international oil companya manufacturing/shipping/publishing etc companyI’m working for a printing company at the moment.a large/big companyShe has a senior position in a large manufacturing company.a small companyHis father is the director of a small company.an international company (=with offices in different countries)She works for a major international company.a multinational company (=with offices in many countries)Within ten years the business grew into a huge multinational company.a private company (=not owned by the government)There are many tiny private companies.a state-owned company (=owned by the government)a public/listed company (=offering its shares for sale on the stock exchange)a limited company (=one whose owners only have to pay a limited amount if it gets into debt)a subsidiary company (=owned or controlled by a larger company)the parent company (=the one that owns or controls a smaller one)a local companyThe new development will bring more business to local companies.a reputable company (=with a good reputation)Choose a reputable building company to do the work.verbswork for a companyHow long have you been working for your present company?join a company (=become an employee)I joined the company ten years ago.run/manage a companyNick runs a property company.set up/start/form a companyTwo years later he started his own software company.found/establish a companyThe company was founded in 1993 by William J. Nutt.take over a company (=buy it and run it)The company was taken over by the management in a £32.5 million deal.a company grows/expandsThe company has expanded year on year.a company goes bankrupt/goes out of business (=stops doing business after losing too much money)a company fails (=goes bankrupt)His audio equipment company failed in the mid 1980s.a company goes bust informal (=goes bankrupt)a company goes to the wall informal (=goes bankrupt)a company goes into liquidation (=is closed and sold in order to pay its debts)company + NOUNcompany policyIt is not company policy to give that information.a company director/executiveHe earns a huge amount of money as a senior company executive.a company car (=that your company gives you to use) COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 2: when you are with other people and not aloneverbsenjoy somebody’s companySteve was fun and she clearly enjoyed his company.keep somebody company (=be with someone so that they do not feel lonely)Mum was out so I stayed at home to keep my younger sister company.have some company (=not be alone)‘Come in, ’ she said, pleased to have some company.need/want companyChildren need the company of other kids their age.be good/pleasant company (=be a cheerful person who is enjoyable to be with)I always liked seeing Rob – he was such good company. THESAURUScompany an organization that makes or sells something, or provides a servicebig oil companiestelephone companiesHe runs a software company.firm a company, especially one that provides a service rather than producing goodsa law firma firm of accountantsa security firmbusiness a company – often used when talking about a company that employs only a small number of peopleShe set up her own catering business.small businessesa family businesscorporation a large company that often includes several smaller companiesIBM is one of the biggest corporations in the world.multinational a very large company with offices in many different countriesAmerican multinationals are establishing research and development facilities across the developing world.conglomerate /kənˈɡlɒmərət $ -ˈɡlɑː-/ a very large company that consists of several different companies which have joined togetherThe company was taken over by a German media conglomerate.giant a word used mainly by newspapers for a very large companyTheir clients include the retail giant, Wal-Mart.subsidiary a company that is owned by a larger companyThe company runs its New York operations through a US subsidiary.
Examples from the Corpus
company• He was grateful to be in a company that recognized the value of education and training for management.• Now that she's gone, I really miss her company.• It is the second largest insurance company in Germany.• I wasn't much company for Aunt Margaret tonight.• It's not company policy to exchange goods without a receipt.• My father used to work for one of the big oil companies.• Her brain, as usual, seemed to have seized up in Roman's overpowering company.• I was grateful for Jean's company on the long journey up to Edinburgh.• "Do you mind if I join you?" "No of course not, it's nice to have some company."• The results were later played down by the company.• I go to French evening classes, for the company as much as for the French.• Davis joined the company as vice-president of sales nine months ago.• Come over for dinner - I could use the company.• The company employs over 10,000 people worldwide.• The company was set up in 1975.• The company I was in was extremely fortunate.• The company says that it has received inquiries from about 470 companies, of which perhaps a quarter are potential customers.• The company sells its batteries mainly through electronics stores but is expanding to grocery shops and kiosks.• What company do you work for?in company with somebody• Individuals do not move through a smooth physical vacuum; they negotiate structured social contexts in company with other individuals.• Students were those to teach, chat with over tea and coffee, but never to withdraw the formalities in company with.• He appeared a year later, stepping out of Tisch Hall in company with Wally and some of his cohorts.• He liked to live in company with another.• The Merrimac, in company with the one-gun steamers Raleigh and Beaufort, now turned her full attention to the grounded Congress.• Put your money in companies with products people have bought by habit for years.• Riding in company with the Grenadiers and Chasseurs, he proceeded ahead of them as they neared Grenappe.• It was another repeated moment in their long relationship of affronts when in company with Marge.expecting company• The Hammills are expecting company this weekend.bad company• Reasons for: She may get into bad company and be at risk in some way.• It was just that he had strange ideas which took him into bad company.• Her social worker said the stealing was also the result of boredom and keeping bad company.• It is known that she kept bad company for most of the 90s.• There were girls who persistently stayed out late, girls who kept bad company and girls who drank too much.• Then I see you go in again, this time in real bad company.• He's basically a nice guy who fell into some bad company.• There he fell again into the bad company of pious Huguenots who turned the young gentleman into a religious searcher.• He reckoned he'd a right to nice things the same as this bad company he'd got in with.touring company• More than 190 theatres and touring companies will receive substantial rises from spring next year, with some having their funding quadrupled.• The theatre, which caters for touring companies, had a budget of £390,000 to meet its costs during this financial year.• There's also the Grand Theatre, which hosts touring companies and is the permanent home of Opera North.in mixed company• Most of us are happy in mixed company.• Until recently, I would not have considered saying the word "penis" in mixed company.From Longman Business Dictionarycompanycom‧pa‧ny /ˈkʌmpəni/ noun (plural companies) [countable] COMMERCEan organization that makes or sells goods or services in order to make a profitHe works for a big pharmaceutical company.The new regulations could have a bad effect on small and medium-sized companies.The company was established in 1922.A lot of companies went bankrupt during the last recession. → affiliated company → associated company → blue chip company → cable company → close company → closed-end investment company → commercial company → constituent company → controlling company → credit company → daughter company → dock company → finance company → holding company → insurance company → investment company → investment trust company → limited (liability) company → listed company → management company → mutual company → mutual insurance company → offshore company → off-the-shelf company → open-end investment company → parent company → private company → private limited company → property company → proprietary company → public company → public limited company → red chip company → registered company → related company → shelf company → shell company → sister company → small business investment company → start-up company → statutory company → stock company → subsidiary company → trading company → trust company → unit trust company → unlimited company → unlisted companyOrigin company (1200-1300) Old French compagnie, from compain “companion”, from Late Latin companio; → COMPANION 