different between enterprise vs avocation

English

Alternative forms

• enterprize (chiefly archaic)
• entreprise (chiefly archaic)

Etymology

From Old French via Middle English and Middle French entreprise, feminine past participle of entreprendre (“to undertake”), from entre (“in between”) + prendre (“to take”), from Latin inter + prehend?, see prehensile.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??nt??p?a?z/
• Hyphenation: en?ter?prise

Noun

enterprise (countable and uncountable, plural enterprises)

1. A company, business, organization, or other purposeful endeavor.

   The government sponsored enterprises (GSEs) are a group of financial services corporations which have been created by the United States Congress.

   A micro-enterprise is defined as a business having 5 or fewer employees and a low seed capital.

2. An undertaking, venture, or project, especially a daring and courageous one.

   Biosphere 2 was a scientific enterprise aimed at the exploration of the complex web of interactions within life systems.

3. (uncountable) A willingness to undertake new or risky projects; energy and initiative.

   He has shown great enterprise throughout his early career.

   • 1954, Philip Larkin, Continuing to Live

     This loss of interest, hair, and enterprise — / Ah, if the game were poker, yes, / You might discard them, draw a full house! / But it's chess.

4. (uncountable) Active participation in projects. (Can we add an example for this sense?)

Synonyms

• initiative

Derived terms

• enterprising
• commercial enterprise
• scientific enterprise

Translations

Verb

enterprise (third-person singular simple present enterprises, present participle enterprising, simple past and past participle enterprised)

1. (intransitive) To undertake an enterprise, or something hazardous or difficult.

   • Charles Mordaunt Earl of Peterborow […] , with only 280 horse and 950 foot , enterprised and accomplished the Conquest of Valentia

2. (transitive) To undertake; to begin and attempt to perform; to venture upon.
   • 1670, John Dryden, The Conquest of Granada

     The business must be enterprised this night.

   • c. 1680, Thomas Otway, letter to Elizabeth Barry

     What would I not renounce or enterprise for you!

3. (transitive) To treat with hospitality; to entertain.

References

• enterprise at OneLook Dictionary Search
• enterprise in Keywords for Today: A 21st Century Vocabulary, edited by The Keywords Project, Colin MacCabe, Holly Yanacek, 2018.
• enterprise in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• entreprise

English

Etymology

From Latin ?voc?ti? (“a distraction”), from ?voc? (“I call off, distract”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /av?(?)?ke???n/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ævo??ke???n/, /æv??ke???n/
• Hyphenation: av?o?ca?tion

Noun

avocation (countable and uncountable, plural avocations)

1. (obsolete) A calling away; a diversion.
   • 1749, Henry Fielding, Tom Jones, Folio Society 1973, p. 204:

     But though she could neither sleep nor rest in her bed, yet, having no avocation from it, she was found there by her father at his return from Allworthy's, which was not till past ten o'clock in the morning.

2. A hobby or recreational or leisure pursuit.
   • 1934, Robert Frost, Two Tramps in Mud Time

     But yield who will to their separation,

     My object in living is to unite

     My avocation and my vocation

     As my two eyes make one in sight.

   • 18 April, 1986, Ronald Reagan, Proclamation 5462

     Gardening is a wholesome avocation that encourages appreciation for nature and concern for the preservation and enhancement of our environment.

3. That which calls one away from one's regular employment or vocation.
4. Pursuits; duties; affairs which occupy one's time; usual employment; vocation.
   • November 1, 1711, William King, Letter to Jonathan Swift

     I have several things on the anvil, and near finished, that perhaps might be useful, if published: but the continual avocation by business, the impositions on me by impertinent visits, and the uneasiness of writing, which grows more intolerable to me every day, I doubt, will prevent my going any farther.

   • I have been received with unsurpassable politeness, delicacy, sweet temper, hospitality, consideration, and with unsurpassable respect for the privacy daily enforced upon me by the nature of my avocation here and the state of my health.

5. The calling of a case from an inferior to a superior court.

Synonyms

• (hobby): See also Thesaurus:hobby

Related terms

• avocational
• avocationally
• vocation

Translations

See also

• volunteerism