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work

/wəːk/

noun
- 1. activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose or result: "he was tired after a day's work" Similar labourtoilexertioneffortslogdrudgerythe sweat of one's browindustryserviceinformal:grindsweatdonkey workspadeworkelbow greasegraftfagyakkaarchaic:travailmoilOpposite leisurerest
- ▪ mental or physical activity as a means of earning income; employment: "I'm still looking for work" Similar employmentjobday jobpostpositionsituationmeans of earning one's livingoccupationprofessioncareerbusinesstradelinevocationcallingarchaic:employ
- ▪ the place where one is employed: "I was returning home from work on a packed subway"
- ▪ the period of time one spends in paid employment: "he was going to the theatre after work"
- ▪ a job: West Indian "I decided to get a work"
- 2. a task or tasks to be undertaken: "they made sure the work was progressing smoothly" Similar tasksjobsdutiesassignmentscommissionsprojectschores
- ▪ the materials for a task: "she frequently took work home with her"
- ▪ activity involving construction or repair: British "extra costs caused by additional building works"
- ▪ cosmetic plastic surgery: informal "between you and me, I think he's had some work done"
- ▪ good or moral deeds: "the Clapham sect was concerned with works rather than with faith"
- 3. a thing or things done or made; the result of an action: "her work hangs in all the main American collections" Similar handiworkdoingactdeedfeatperformance
- ▪ a literary or musical composition or other piece of art: "a work of fiction" Similar compositionpiececreationachievementaccomplishmentwork of artopusoeuvre
- ▪ the artistic production of a particular author, composer, or artist, regarded collectively: "the works of Schubert fill several feet of shelf space" Similar writingsoeuvrecanonoutput
- ▪ a piece of embroidery, sewing, or knitting, typically made using a specified stitch or method.
- 4. a place or premises in which industrial or manufacturing processes are carried out: British "he found a job in the locomotive works" Similar factoryplantmanufacturing complexmillfoundryyardindustrial unitbusiness unitworkshopshop
- 5. the operative part of a clock or other machine: "she could almost hear the tick of its works" Similar mechanismmachineryworkingsworking partspartsmovementactioninformal:innardsinsides
- 6. a defensive structure: "just north of the fort were trenches and the freshly reconstructed patriot siege works"
- 7. the exertion of force overcoming resistance or producing molecular change.
- 8. everything needed, desired, or expected: informal "the heavens put on a show: sheet lightning, hailstones, the works" Similar everythingthe full treatmentinformal:everything but the kitchen sinkthe lotthe whole shooting matchthe whole (kit and) caboodlethe whole shebangthe whole nine yardsthe full montythe whole ball of wax
verb
- 1. be engaged in physical or mental activity in order to achieve a result; do work: "she has been working so hard" Similar toillabourexert oneselfslave (away)plod awaywork one's fingers to the bonework like a Trojan/dogwork day and nightkeep at itkeep one's nose to the grindstoneinformal:slog (away)beaver awayplug awaypeg awayput one's back into somethingwork one's guts outwork one's socks offknock oneself outsweat bloodkill oneselfgraftfagbullockvulgar slang:work one's balls/arse offwork one's ass/butt offarchaic:drudgetravailmoilOpposite restplay
- ▪ be employed in a specified occupation or field: "he worked as a waiter in a rather shabby restaurant" Similar be employedhave a jobearn one's livinghold down a jobdo businessfollow/ply one's trade
- ▪ set to or keep at work: "Jane is working you too hard"
- ▪ practise one's occupation in or at (a particular place): "I worked a few clubs and so forth"
- ▪ be engaged in (a particular occupation): West Indian "I worked fireman on ships"
- 2. (of a machine or system) function, especially properly or effectively: "his phone doesn't work unless he goes to a high point" Similar functiongorunoperateperformbe in working orderinformal:behave
- ▪ (with reference to a machine or machine part) be or cause to be in operation: "the device is designed to go into a special ‘rest’ state when it's not working" Similar operateusehandlecontrolmanipulatemanoeuvredriverundirectplywield
- 3. (of a plan or method) have the desired result or effect: "the desperate ploy had worked" Similar succeedbe successfulwork outturn out wellgo as plannedhave the desired resultget resultsbe effectivetake effectbe efficaciousinformal:come offpay offdo the trickdo the businessturn the trickOpposite fail
- ▪ produce as a result: "with a dash of blusher here and there, you can work miracles" Similar bring aboutaccomplishachieveproducedoperformcarry outimplementexecutecreateengendercontriveeffect
- ▪ make efforts to achieve something; campaign: "they are dedicated to working for a better future for the generations to come"
- ▪ arrange or contrive: informal "the chairman was prepared to work it for Phillip if he was interested"
- ▪ use one's persuasive power to stir the emotions of: "the born politician's art of working a crowd" Similar stir (up)excitedrivemovespurrousefiregalvanizewhip upinflameinciteagitate
- 4. bring (a material or mixture) to a desired shape or consistency by hammering, kneading, etc.: "work the mixture into a paste with your hands" Similar kneadsqueezeformshapefashionmouldmodelmixstirblend
- ▪ produce artistic pieces using a particular material or medium: "he works in clay over a very strong frame"
- ▪ produce (an article or design) using a specified material or sewing stitch: "the castle itself is worked in tent stitch"
- ▪ cultivate (land) or extract materials from (a mine or quarry): "contracts and leases to work the mines" Similar cultivatefarmtillploughexploit
- 5. move or cause to move gradually or with difficulty into another position: "comb hair from tip to root, working out the knots at the end" Similar manoeuvremanipulatenegotiateguideedgemanoeuvremakethreadwindweave
- ▪ (of a person's features) move violently or convulsively: "hair wild, mouth working furiously" Similar twitchquivertwistmove spasmodicallyconvulse
- ▪ make progress to windward, with repeated tacking: "trying to work to windward in light airs"
- 6. bring into a specified emotional state: "Harold had worked himself into a minor rage" Similar stir (up)excitedrivemovespurrousefiregalvanizewhip upinflameinciteagitate
Word Origin Old Englishweorc (noun), wyrcan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch werk and German Werk, from an Indo-European root shared by Greek ergon.
Scrabble Points: 11
- W
  4
- O
  1
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  5
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Work definition: exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something; labor; toil. . See examples of WORK used in a sentence.
dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › learner-englishWORK | meaning - Cambridge Learner's Dictionary

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www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishWORK definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

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www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › englishwork noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes...

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