company

com|pa|ny [ `kʌmpəni ] noun ***

1. ) count an organization that provides services or makes or sells goods for money:

Max works for a large oil company.

He joined the company in 1982.

a local/multinational company

and Company (=used in company names): Johnson and Company

a ) only before noun connected with a company or with the people in a company:

It's company policy.

We can't all be company directors.

2. ) count a group of actors, singers, or dancers who perform together:

the Royal Shakespeare Company

a dance/theater company

a ) a group of soldiers that is usually divided into two or more smaller groups called platoons

b ) the people who work on a particular ship:

the ship's company

3. ) uncount people you are with:

mixed company (=a group that includes men and women): Some of the jokes weren't really suitable for mixed company.

polite company (=people toward whom you should behave politely): behavior that is not acceptable in polite company

bad company (=friends that other people do not approve of): Things started to go wrong when he got into bad company.

a ) a guest or guests:

She's not coming she has company.

b ) the activity of being with other people:

I thought you might be glad of some company tonight.

She doesn't really feel like company at the moment.

the company of someone: She's always liked the company of powerful people.

someone's company: We usually enjoy his company.

and company INFORMAL

used after someone's name for referring to the people they are connected with or usually spend time with:

We need another table for Bruce Reed and company.

the company someone keeps

the people that someone spends time with:

We didn't like the company she was keeping.

good company

someone who people enjoy spending time with

in company BRITISH

with other people

in company with FORMAL

together with someone or something else:

Germany, in company with France, refused to lift the ban.

in good company

doing the same thing someone else has done, especially someone who is important or respected. This expression is used especially for telling someone not to worry about something bad they have done.

join company with

to become involved in something that someone else is doing:

Nurses' unions have joined company with the teachers in protesting at the policy.

keep someone company

to spend time with someone so that they will not feel lonely:

Would you like me to stay and keep you company?

keep company with someone

to spend time with someone

part company

1. ) to end a relationship, for example a marriage

2. ) to stop traveling or spending time together and go to different places

3. ) to disagree with someone about a particular subject:

This is where I part company with the professor.

present company excepted HUMOROUS

used for saying that a statement does not apply to yourself or to the people you are talking to

two's company, three's a crowd

used for saying that two people, especially people having a romantic relationship, would prefer to be alone rather than with other people