concern
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a going concern
A business, enterprise, or activity that has done well thus far and is expected to continue making a profit. The odds weren't great setting up another café in town, but it has since become a going concern.
concern (someone) in (something)
To involve someone in something. You really don't need to concern your mother in our financial issues—we're perfectly capable of sorting them out on our own.
See also: concern
concern (oneself) about (something)
To become focused on someone or something because one feels partly responsible for dealing with it. Your mother really doesn't need to concern herself about our financial issues—we're perfectly capable of sorting them out on our own.
See also: concern
concern (someone) with (someone or something)
1. To involve someone in something to the extent that they feel partly responsible for dealing with it. You really don't need to concern your mother with our financial issues—we're perfectly capable of sorting them out on our own.
2. To cause someone to worry about something. I don't want to concern my parents with this news until we get more information about how serious the illness is.
See also: concern
to whom it may concern
To the person to whom this letter applies or to whom it ultimately reaches. A formal address used at the beginning of a letter or email when the appropriate or ultimate recipient's identity is unknown. To whom it may concern: I am writing today to lodge a formal complaint against your company.
concern oneself about someone or something
and concern oneself over someone or somethingto turn one's thoughts and consideration to someone or something. I hope you will concern yourself over your work a little more. Please don't concern yourself about me. I'll do okay.
See also: concern
concern someone in something
to bring someone into some matter; to engage someone in something; to occupy someone with something. Don't concern Dave in our party planning. He doesn't know anything about entertaining. The wrong committee was concerned in this from the very beginning.
See also: concern
concern someone with someone or something
to busy someone with someone or something; to worry someone with thoughts of someone or something. I hope Jennifer does not concern herself with this matter. Try to concern him with something other than his work.
See also: concern
to whom it may concern
Cliché to the person to whom this applies. (A form of address used when you do not know the name of the person who handles the kind of business you are writing about.) The letter started out, "To whom it may concern." When you don't know who to write to, just say, "To whom it may concern."
to whom it may concern
To the appropriate recipient for this message, as in I didn't know who was responsible for these complaints so I just addressed it "to whom it may concern ." This phrase is a formula used in letters, testimonials, and the like when one does not know the name of the proper person to address. [Second half of 1800s]