- Let's get down to business: Start focusing on the primary task, work, or serious discussion at hand, often after initial pleasantries.
- Get down to brass tacks: Focus on the essential facts or practical details of a matter. Very similar to get down to business, but emphasizes fundamental truths or core issues.
Explanation
Origin
Let's get down to business: Straightforward phrase, likely emerging naturally as commerce and organized work became central. Common since at least the mid-19th century.
Get down to brass tacks: Origin debated. Theories include:
- Brass tacks used in upholstery or measuring fabric on a counter, representing the exact point or line.
- Tacks holding down floor coverings, getting down to the basic floor structure.
- Slang from the 19th century, possibly American. The core idea is reaching the fundamental, hard reality.
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Slang/Informal:
- Alright, let's rock and roll. (Let's start enthusiastically)
- Okay, game time. (Time to perform/focus)
- Let's do this thing.
More Formal:
- Shall we begin?
- Let's address the agenda.
- Let's proceed with the main topic.
Playful/Group Setting:
- Okay team, huddle up!
Situational Appropriateness
- Let's get down to business: Appropriate in most work or task-oriented settings, from informal team meetings to more formal ones (though tone matters).
- Get down to brass tacks: Slightly more informal/colloquial than get down to business, but still common in professional contexts when discussing core details.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- Brass tacks could be confusing if taken literally; the connection to core facts isn't obvious without knowing the idiom.
- The shift in tone might feel abrupt to learners from cultures with longer warm-up phases in conversation.
Examples
- Okay, coffee's poured. Let's get down to business.
- Enough small talk. Time to get down to business and plan this event.
- We've discussed the general concept, now let's get down to brass tacks: how much will it cost?
- Stop avoiding the issue. We need to get down to brass tacks.
Dialogue
Alice: ...and that's how my weekend went! How about yours?
Bob: Sounds fun! Mine was quiet. Anyway, we only have an hour. Shall we get down to business?
Alice: You're right. Okay, let's get down to brass tacks. What's the absolute minimum budget we can work with?
Bob: Good question. Let me pull up the figures.
Social Media Examples
- LinkedIn Post: Great connecting with industry leaders at the conference! Now, back in the office and ready to get down to business. #work #strategy
- Tweet: Enough theorizing about the project. Monday morning, team gets down to brass tacks on implementation. #ProjectManagement
- Forum Comment: Lots of opinions here, but let's get down to brass tacks: what evidence supports claim X?
Response Patterns
- Okay, sounds good.
- Alright, let's do it.
- Ready when you are.
- Agreed. What's first on the agenda?
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
After someone says Let's get down to business/brass tacks:
- The speaker or another participant usually initiates the main topic. (Okay, first item is the budget review.)
- People often physically adjust, open notebooks, or focus their attention on the speaker or materials.
After a response like Okay, sounds good:
- The person who initiated typically starts the discussion. (Great. So, regarding the proposal...)
Conversation Starter
- No. Typically used to transition from informal chat to the main purpose of a meeting or interaction.
Intonation
- Usually said with a clear, slightly lowered pitch and emphasis on DOWN and BUSINESS or BRASS TACKS.
- Indicates a shift in focus to seriousness. Let's get DOWN to BUSINESS. / Get DOWN to brass TACKS.
Generation Differences
- Both are well-understood across generations. Brass tacks might sound slightly older-fashioned to some younger people but is still widely recognized.
Regional Variations
- Both are common in American English. Get down to business is universal. Brass tacks is also used in UK/Aus/etc., perhaps slightly less frequently than in the US.